An Unforeseen Flame
by XmArKzThEsPoT
Summary: Kagome knew there was no room left in his heart for her. His vision was clouded with images of Kikyo. So she left and encountered his cold but devastatingly handsome half brother. Sparks are sure to fly, but one of them just might light a new flame.    Rated M for possible adult themes.
1. Farewell Inuyasha

**A/N: So I have updated this chapter three times now, can you believe it?! I will be updating the following chapters as well. My goal is at least 2000 words per chapter, which I know is still a bit short, but I just want to flesh this story out a bit more and improve upon the quality of writing. So hopefully you enjoy the changes I'll be making, yet again..**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha exclaimed frantically, his pleading voice begging her to stop. Noisily, the hanyou crashed through the dense underbrush of the forest as he pursued the woman he loved so desperately. Reanimated from clay though she was, he knew would never be able to stop loving her. She held his still beating heart within her cold, dead hands, and he was convinced her embittered heart still belonged to him no matter how hard she tried to fight it.

The lifeless priestess's porcelain face remained cold and expressionless as she ignored his pleas and continued her stride through the forest thicket with graceful nonchalance, her serpentine soul collectors trailing behind her casting a bluish light upon gently swaying trees through the enveloping darkness of night. She was chagrined to find Inuyasha following after her like a lost puppy yet again. They had been in love a lifetime ago, and, maybe, if circumstances had been different, they still would be, but it was no longer a possibility.

She had to admit that she still felt a flutter in her stomach when she thought about how very much the hanyou still cared. He had a living woman, her very own reincarnation in fact, who had not yet been tainted by the darkness of the world and who loved him with all her heart, yet he still chased a ghost. It almost made Kikyo feel smug that she could captivate him so, but she suppressed the feeling austerely.

It was not her place to interfere in the life of her former lover, nor his companions. She had one task, one singularly important task, on her mind, and then she would leave the world of the living for good. Once Naraku was dead, she would have no reason to remain. It was not her fault if working towards his defeat put her in Inyasha's path on multiple occasions. _That_ truly was not her intention.

"Kikyo, please stop," the hanyou begged softly, grabbing her hand. Her flesh was ice cold to the touch yet still soft. She stiffened uncomfortably as he pulled her roughly into a tight embrace.

'_Why can't he just let this go?'_ the priestess thought to herself as she fought to keep her mind clear. It was difficult under the scrutiny of his dreamy amber gaze. Inuyasha fogged things up for her. He always had. That was the reason evil had gotten the better of her in the end. She had been a fool to think that she could have been a normal woman. It was her fate to protect the Shikon no Tama, and she had attempted to rebel against that fate. So the spirits had punished her for her indiscretions. She realized this now.

"Why won't you stay with me? Can't you see I that still love you? Please just stay with me. We can fight against Naraku together."

Inyasha's arms were still wrapped tightly around the petite woman's waist as he waited for a reply. He knew she would decline, but he hoped, always so fervently, that she would agree to stay with him this time around. That she would not only realize the mutual benefits of traversing together, but also the love she still held for him deep within her stagnant heart.

Kikyo turned his proposition over and over again in her mind like a coin. The romantic side of her would have given anything to stay with him, but she was a practical woman. She had already come to the realization that he was a distraction and, therefore, detrimental to the completion of the task at hand. Traveling with him would not be prudent, and it would most likely cause tension amongst his traveling companions. She knew how they felt about her, especially Kagome.

Kagome was envious of her, an idea that almost made Kikyo laugh aloud. She, Kikyo, was the one who should be jealous. Kagome could be with Inuyasha, start a life with him, have a future with him, grow old with him… Nobody had brutally wrenched the life that Kagome possessed away from her. The reincarnated woman was free to live and laugh and love, without bitterness, without hate, without hurt. And, it was only a matter of time before she, who was no longer among the living, returned to the Earth without Inuyasha, for taking him to the afterlife with her had never really been her plan. No, Kagome should not be jealous.

x.X.x

Kagome was well hidden under the cover of nightfall, despite the intensity of the silvery stars dangling overhead. The usually tranquil sound of chirping crickets, which now seemed piercing and strident to Kagome, masked her quiet footfalls, and the familiar trees of the Forest of Inuyasha kept her from view of anyone that would be looking. Not that Inuyasha would be paying any mind to anything lurking in the forest right now. As long as Kikyo was in his arms, Kagome knew the clay priestess was all his eyes could behold.

She knew what was taking place underneath the brilliant glow of the alabaster starlight. It had happened so many times before, but every time Inuyasha ran off chasing after Kikyo, Kagome could not help but follow, despite the scars it always left behind on her perpetually breaking heart.

The glow of Kikyo's soul collectors illuminated the pair, giving them an ethereal radiance as they remained locked in, what seemed to Kagome, an interminable embrace. The luminosity was so beautiful that it gave the lovers an angelic appearance amongst the thick copse of trees swaying softly in a breeze so chilly it left goose bumps upon Kagome's pale flesh.

It made her sick to her stomach to watch Inuyasha hold Kikyo so intimately. It wasn't their tenderness or their beauty, or even Inuyasha's uncharacteristic affection that roused such feelings. It was envy, that cold green feeling that emanated from Kagome every single time she witnessed them together. She was glad too see that Inuyasha could be tender and affectionate, but it made her sick that it was someone else in his arms.

She hated how the jealousy made her feel; hated how wrong it felt, but it was always there bubbling in the pit of her stomach, like a boiling pot ready to overflow. She couldn't help it. For a moment, she would almost wish terrible things upon Kikyo, and then she would chide herself for being such an awful person. It was the worst feeling in the world to know that he wanted someone more than he wanted her. Especially someone as despicable as Kikyo had been towards Inuyasha upon her revival.

So why, then, was she there watching the man she loved and the woman he loved if it evoked such feelings from her? Why was she enduring the chilled night air and biting back bitter tears to watch these two as they shattered her fragile heart into even more pieces than it was already in. Why did she have to be the one to fall in love with someone who could not love her in return? It just wasn't fair, but, of course, life never was, or so she'd been told.

Quietly, she slumped down into the long grass and leaned against the rough bark of the tree she had been hiding behind, averting her eyes from the intimate spectacle as stinging tears streamed down her flushed cheeks. Inuyasha was giving Kikyo what she, Kagome, wanted more than anything in the world. Didn't she deserve to have what she wanted? She had been a loyal friend, listened to his insults, patiently put up with his temper, aided him on his quest, and done all that she could possibly do for him for three years now. She had become a woman in that time, a strong woman even, and with each passing year, she was a strong woman that was more and more in love. Didn't she deserve his affections? Kikyo was, after all, dead, and she was not. He could be with her, hold her, love her, and he would never have to worry about dying with her. It was selfish of Kikyo to want such a thing from him, but she, Kagome, would never ask him to do anything like that for her. All Kagome wanted from Inuyasha was for him to love her in return, but that seemed impossible.

x.X.x

Inuyasha stood waiting patiently for Kikyo to say anything to him. It felt as though he had been waiting for her reply for an eternity, but a pleasant eternity as she was still in his arms. Finally, she looked up at him, her dark eyes devoid of any spark of emotion.

Kikyo had decided long ago that it wouldn't do to allow him to know she still cared. She had thought she had wanted him dead. She had thought, briefly, she had wanted him to die with her, but all she truly wished for was his happiness. She could allow him that much. But, she didn't want him to know that she really was still just a woman in love, or he would be forever chasing the ghost of a love from fifty years passed. It was best for him to think she only had feelings of spite left for him, so that he could choose the path that would lead him to his happiness.

"You know I will not stay with you, yet you always ask this of me. Why is that, Inuyasha?"

He was stunned by the callous tone in her voice and the hateful way his name rolled off her tongue as she asked this and was caught unprepared. Before he could think of an answer for her, she had pulled herself out of his embrace and was walking away into the dark of night. He felt the already gaping hole in she had left in his heart grow a little wider as she strode away, as it always did each time they parted.

A gentle breeze blew strands of silver hair across his face, tickling his nose and interrupting his mourning at Kikyo's departure. He could smell Kagome's distinctively fragrant scent on the wind along with the salt of her tears. He realized, with some trepidation, she must have seen him leave Kaede's hut and followed him into the forest.

x.X.x

The forest surrounding Kagome dimmed, shadowing her in the blackness of night. The sudden darkness signaled Kikyo's departure from Inuyasha and interrupted the young woman's pained musings. She heard the padding of heavy footfalls in the grass and knew they were heading her direction. She didn't even bother to look up or acknowledge the fact that her presence was discovered.

"I thought I heard someone out here," Inuyasha stated quietly from behind the heartbroken woman. Kagome could feel his eyes upon the back of her head. She felt as though his gaze lit her ablaze as the hot tingling of mortification scurried up her spine.

"I... I'm sorry," Kagome stuttered, stifling a disconsolate sob, hot tears stinging her chocolate brown eyes. "I couldn't go back to sleep after seeing you leave to go after Kikyo, so I decided to go for a walk. I really didn't mean to eavesdrop," she lied lamely.

"What do you want me to do Kagome?" he inquired dejectedly. "I can't stop loving her, you know... I tried…I really did… I just...I just can't… You said you understood, but you react this way every single time. Damnit Kagome, what am I supposed to do?"

Kagome was now weeping openly. Violent sobs wracked her slender form as she sat leaning forward on her knees, clutching the grass beneath her. She could feel the damp soil lodge itself beneath her fingernails.

"Just because...I understand...doesn't mean…that it hurts any less," Kagome choked out between sobs. "I just…wish that you would realize that…that she's not YOUR Kikyo anymore. What's even harder than watching you reject me, is watching her reject you every time," she wailed. "You love a woman that wishes you dead for something that wasn't even your fault. Someone who doesn't love you enough to want you to continue living, just because she is no longer among the living...and that doesn't even bother you. It doesn't even make you think twice. You've already decided that you would rather have someone so selfish over...me..."

"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered sympathetically. He squatted down beside the distraught woman and gently placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder, but she batted it away savagely. She knew she was being unreasonable; that she was now being the selfish one, but didn't she have the right to be these things at least once in her life after all the times she'd been understanding and selfless?

"Don't touch me!" she cried, her shrill voice sounding crueler than she had intended. "I know I said that I wanted to stay with you no matter what, but I was wrong. I can't stand it, seeing the two of you together and knowing that it will never be me who comes first. I'm not strong enough to endure this constant heartbreak. I understand why it won't ever be me. I really do. I know how difficult it is for you to stop loving Kikyo, because I can't stop loving you, no matter how hard I try. I don't want to love you anymore, and I don't want to stay with you anymore. I'm sorry, but I don't think I can help you finish the jewel and defeat Naraku. It's been three years of heartache, traveling with you. I need to go my own way...away from you."

"Don't be like that, Kagome," Inuyasha appealed hoarsely. Had he really hurt her so much? Her words stung him, like a whip lashing viciously at exposed flesh. It wasn't that he didn't care about her. Other than Kikyo and his mother, there was no one he had ever cared about more. It pained him to see her so miserable but; it was like she had said. He could not choose his feelings.

"Just go away. Leave me alone," she sobbed even harder. The hanyou didn't budge despite her entreaties. "Please, just go away."

"No, Kagome. I won't leave you like this," he replied determinedly. "You can't leave us Kagome, and you know it. We have no hope of defeating Naraku and piecing the shards of the Shikon no Tama back together without you."

"So that's all I am to you? A shard detector? Is that really the only reason you want me to stay?"

Kagome's eyes flashed with a burning anger Inuyasha had never seen reflected in them before, as she rose to her feet suddenly, fists clenched so tightly her knuckles were white. Her crying had completely ceased. Without a second glance at the hanyou, Kagome turned around sharply and began running blindly into the dark forest and away from him. He stood unmoving and watched her go, feeling abandoned for the second time that night. The recollection of the anger in her eyes sent a chill throughout his entire being. He hoped she would be all right alone in the forest but made no effort to pursue her. She wished to be away from him, so he would honor her request, for the time being.


	2. Kagome's Surprise

**A/N: More revamping! Hope that I've continued to improve upon the story a bit.**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

Kagome ran as quickly as her slender legs would carry her, oblivious to the brambles and small bushes catching on her short green skirt, shredding the no longer white sleeves of her uniform and tearing at the flesh of her bare legs. She had no idea where she was running to or where in the forest she was even at, for that matter. She had ceased her crying in front of Inuyasha. He had made her so furious with his callous comment. But now that she had time to replay the situation in her head a few times over, she was weeping too hard to see anything clearly.

'_What do you want me to do Kagome? I can't stop loving her, you know...'_ The words kept playing over and over again in her head like a song stuck on repeat. All she could think was that it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that he couldn't love her the way he loved Kikyo. It wasn't fair that she had to fall in love with someone who didn't love her in return. It wasn't fair that she had to fall down the stupid ancient well and go back in time to take care of problems that never should have been her responsibility to begin with. It wasn't fair…It wasn't fair…It just wasn't fair!

Her lungs were beginning to burn with the need for air, as she gasped through her sobs, but she didn't want to stop. Despite the tingling ache beginning to form in her tiring legs, she needed to keep going, needed to distance herself even further, needed to escape. Suddenly, her burning lungs and aching legs were no longer a concern as Kagome was stopped dead in her tracks by a large, overhanging branch. The collision left the young woman unconscious with a large knot upon her forehead that was bleeding heavily from a long gash above her left eye.

x.X.x

Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands was nothing if not severely bored. It was early in the morning, so early, in fact, that the sky was just barely beginning to lighten into roiling shades of deep reds and purples, and the stars were starting to fade into what would soon become a deep azure sky. Rin was still sleeping soundly, her steady breathing soft and peaceful, and he could hear loud snores emanating from the ground where Jaken slept. Ah-Un stirred from where he rested, opening one slitted eye to observe his master, before shutting it again lethargically.

Sesshomaru suppressed a disinterested sigh, as he gazed in Rin's direction, suddenly regretting his decision to allow her to accompany him on his travels. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy her company. She was just so fragile, constantly in need of care, and she needed to sleep ever so often. It was entirely too much of a hassle, making sure she was properly attended to.

He shifted against the brittle bark of the tree he was leaning against in agitation. He imagined his life would probably be a sight more boring without her and all her exuberance. She brought color into his life where there had been none, and gave him something to consider that wasn't himself or his territory. The little girl was probably the first person, human and demon alike, ever to completely melt away the ice surrounding his cold heart. Not that he would actually admit that to anyone.

As he sat bored, he picked at an imaginary piece of dirt upon his pristinely alabaster haori and waited for Rin to wake, contemplating the ways in which she enriched his existence. From out of nowhere an unpleasant aroma suddenly assaulted his nostrils drifting through the air from across the forest to curl up under his nose distastefully. He immediately recognized the pungent, coppery smell of human blood pervading the air, stinging Lord Sesshomaru's sensitive nose. The scent was absolutely revolting, but he resisted the urge to screw up his face in disgust.

The Youkai Lord surmised that some unfortunate human must have wandered across the path of a hungry animal or maybe even a demon, but, as he had no other business taking precedence over the matter, he decided to investigate personally. After all, the treacherous Naraku could be involved. It always seemed as though if Naraku was present, bloodshed wasn't trailing far behind.

He rose to his feet with practiced grace and nudged the snoozing dragon gently with his foot. Slowly two scaly heads rose snake-like off the ground, yellow eyes peering curiously at the owner of the offending foot.

"Keep Rin safe while she sleeps," Sesshomaru commanded monotonously. Then, he began to wind his way through the thick clusters of trees silently, heading toward the source of the aberrant scent.

He strode with unmatched agility through the dense trees and undergrowth that grew thick between them for a short while as he searched for the source of the offensive odor. Soon he spotted the form of a slender girl lying on the ground inelegantly, tangled in a mess of rotting leaves and other assorted detritus from the forest floor. Her face and hair were caked with dirt mixed with blood from a wound on her forehead that was still oozing making her features almost indistinguishable. Deep scratches and bluish-purple bruises marred her dirt-covered legs.

Sesshomaru couldn't put his finger on it, but something about the woman seemed familiar. Ah, he recognized it. The scent of that half-breed was on her clothing. This woman had to be Inuyasha's wench. He could identify her by her inappropriately short garment. But, what was she doing so far from his brother? Was the mutt so insufficient that he could not even protect this girl adequately? He turned to leave, but stopped when he heard her stir in her sleep restlessly.

"Leave... Inuyasha," she murmured softly from her slumber. "It...It hurts...too much..."

It was barely enough to piqué his interest, but Sesshomaru decided learning a bit more couldn't hurt. It wasn't as though he was particularly occupied in the first place. With his one arm, he lifted her off the ground as carefully as was possible and slung her over his shoulder to carry her back to his encampment.

So, there was dissension between his useless mutt of a brother and the girl. He assumed that the clay wench of his was associated with this sordid business of theirs. Whatever the case, it didn't really matter much to him. He'd glean whatever useful information she had about Naraku, if any, and then leave the human to fend for herself. She had proven that she wasn't completely useless in battle, and another human companion was the last thing he needed. Rin could be troublesome enough as it was.

His thoughts turned to his young ward. Maybe this woman could serve a useful purpose after all, where Rin was concerned, at the least. It was possible that she could serve as a good companion, and quite possibly mentor, for Rin, for the time being. She did, after all, take very good care of the young fox kitsune that traveled with his disgusting half-brother. Hadn't he just been thinking that attending to all of the girl's many needs was a hassle? And Rin was growing older so very quickly, it seemed. She could use a female to learn from. Eventually Rin would grow into a woman, and she might decide she wanted to settle down and build a life somewhere. Sesshomaru honestly never expected the girl to travel with him forever.

Momentarily, his eyes flickered to the girl slung haphazardly over his shoulder, his golden eyes emotionless as he surveyed her pale and battered legs, before returning to the forested path ahead of him. She stirred a bit, mumbling incoherently as he shifted the muscles his shoulder, positioning her in a fashion more comfortable for him, but she didn't wake. That was well enough for Sesshomaru, because he wasn't sure she would react very well to waking in the situation she was now in.

His mind turned to her reasoning for running away from Inuyasha, wondering absently why the mutt hadn't chased after her. He could never understand why she stayed with that worthless hanyou in the first place. He was a half-breed. He didn't belong anywhere, not among the humans nor the demons, but she had accepted him despite this fact. She fought with him, saved his life on occasions, and even, it seemed, had grown to love him.

Sesshomaru gave a small snort of derision at that idea. The idea of a human and hanyou falling in love and producing offspring seemed almost more ridiculous than the thought of youkai and human offspring. As if half demons were not weak enough, the progeny of a hanyou and a human would be even more pathetic.

He, Sesshomaru, had never loved anyone, or, at least, that's what he told himself. There had been a woman once, a long time ago, when he was young. But, of course, that was a long time ago, and in his youth could have been, and probably was, ignorant and, therefore, mistaken about his feelings.

"Good morning, Lord Sesshomaru!" a young girl called genially, interrupting his thoughts. He hadn't even realized that he had reached the encampment; Sesshomaru had been so absorbed in his thoughts. "Oh, you found someone! Is she your friend? Oh no! She's hurt."

He stared at the girl silently for a moment, his glacial expression unchanging, as Jaken approached, prepared to chastise her for no real reason as he often did. The diminutive imp was quite vexing, constantly scolding the child, but she was always very good-natured about it. Sesshomaru found it an admirable quality the young girl possessed. He lacked the patience and natural understanding that seemed to be inherent within Rin's very being, however, he was a Demon Lord, and as such, those qualities were less than useless to him.

"Good, you're awake now, Rin," Sesshomaru commented in his form of salutation.

"Milord!" Jaken exclaimed surprised at the disheveled sight before him. It was very uncharacteristic of his Lord to go around rescuing humans in distress. He had though Rin had just been an exception to the rule, spurred by the curiosity the Lord's Tensaiga had inspired within him. "Is that not one of Inuyasha's human companions?"

Ignoring his inappropriately inquisitive vassal, Sesshomaru turned to Rin, as he set the unconscious woman down on the ground unceremoniously.

"Fetch some water and herbs for a poultice to clean and treat her wounds," the demon lord commanded. "Jaken, accompany her and keep her safe."

"Yes milord," Rin nodded dutifully, unable to hide her toothy grin. She could not help but feel excited at the addition to their small party.

Accepting her task with even more vivacity than was normal, Rin set about collecting the things her Lord had requested. Jaken trailed behind her, peeved by his menial task. He was supposed to be the Lord's faithful advisor, not a nursemaid for some annoyingly high-spirited child.

It wasn't long before Rin and Jaken returned with the items necessary. Wordlessly, Rin went about the task of tending to the injured woman. Being orphaned at such a young age had forced the girl to learn how to take care of herself. She had learned how to properly care for any injuries she sustained, so she was surprising adept at treating minor wounds. Gently, she washed away the dried mix of soil and blood that was plastered to the woman's face and gingerly applied a fresh poultice of herbs she had collected to the wound on the woman's head.

"My... My Lord, may I inquire as to the reason you are caring for your half-brother's woman?" the gutless toad asked meekly as he watched Rin attend to the woman.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he fixed his prying vassal with a frigid stare. Jaken shrank back, trembling with apprehension under the scrutiny of the inuyoukai's irritable gaze.

"I humbly retract my question. I apologize for inquiring into what is none of my concern," he squeaked his apology fearfully, bowing repeatedly and scrambling to remove himself from the vicinity quickly.

"My Lord!" Rin exclaimed excitedly, rescuing Jaken from the beating he was about to receive. "I think she is waking up."

x.X.x

Indeed Kagome was beginning to stir from her slumber. A dull throb originating from her forehead pulsed uncomfortably throughout her entire head sending dizzying shockwaves through her brain. What a horrible headache! Kagome reached a hand up to rub the agitated spot and felt a cold compress over the ache. Confused, she opened her eyes slightly only to meet an amber gaze.

At first she thought it was Inuyasha, but, as her vision sharpened into focus, she realized these eyes were different. They were golden, just as Inuyasha's were, but the color was dissimilar, more piercing and intense than the murky amber of the hanyou's eyes. These eyes that she was scrutinizing dazedly were cold and emotionless, differing almost completely from the hanyou's perpetual glower. Then, startled by her realization, she recognized the gaze she was meeting. It was none other than Inuyasha's elder brother, Sesshomaru.


	3. Companionship or Slavery

**A/N: I managed to flesh this chapter out a lot! Hope you enjoy the additions!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

The scent of sheer terror flooded a pair of rather delicate nostrils, and Sesshomaru realized that the girl was, indeed, awake. He found it amusing that she was so absolutely terrified of him. If he intended to harm her, he would have done so already. Why would he waste his time nursing her back to health first? Humans were such illogical creatures.

Kagome just continued to stare up at him, fearful amazement mirrored in her doe-like eyes. She paid no mind to the warm rays of sunlight trickling down from the sky through the thick leafy cover overhead to fall upon her face, nor did she hear the birds chirping boisterously as they flitted in and out the forest's springtime verdure. She was in such shock that she could not even feel the cool, dewy grass beneath her body, soaking through her thin clothing to settle against her now dampened skin.

All of her senses seemed to be focused on the man above her. She couldn't be certain whether it was her fear or his beauty consumed her at this moment. Never in her life did she realize how angelic his features were, or the way his silvery hair glimmered in the sunlight. The only feature she had ever noticed was his eyes and their sharp frostiness despite their warm amber color. Now it was these eyes, murderous though they were, that captivated her, even in her frightened shock.

"Were it my intention to harm you, I would've done so already," he remarked coolly in his form of a greeting. The girl's entire body tensed for a moment, as if his words were a weapon he had aimed at her unexpectedly. The youkai smiled inwardly at her timid behavior. She had seemed so confident and sure of herself when she faced him before, Inuyasha by her side, and now here she was, behaving no differently than a frightened rabbit.

"Oh…Uhm…," Kagome stammered, not knowing what to say. Her brain was not functioning well enough to form words, and even if it had been, what was there for her to say in reply? All she could focus on was the fact that Inuyasha would not come for her this time. Kagome was on her own in this one, and she was well-aware that Sesshomaru had no love for humans. She was going to have to be very mindful of what she said to him, given past insults.

'_Just great,'_ Kagome thought to herself unenthusiastically. She knew she suffered from severe foot-in-mouth disease. Her already knotted stomach seized up a bit more at the thought of saying the wrong thing and angering the inuyoukai. A wave of nervous nausea washed over her, and she felt the blood draining from her face as she imagined him slicing her to gory ribbons. Yes, she would have to be mindful all right.

Kagome tried to sit up slightly, sending nauseating spins throughout her already aching head. Once the dizziness wore off and her world was righted, she found herself wincing at the newfound pain coursing through her stiff body. It felt as though she had run a marathon after a rough session of kendo practice. There was almost no muscle on her battered body that didn't feel sore.

As she inspected her appearance, she decided it was no wonder she was so achy. Her arms and legs were dotted with blue and purples bruises of various shapes and sizes, and numerous cuts and scrapes accompanied her multitude of bruises. She could only wonder how terrible her head looked, if the rest of her was so battered.

"If I may inquire... Where is that idiot brother of mine?" he asked casually provoking a melancholy expression that graced her lovely features. She cast her eyes downward sullenly no longer concerned with her alarming appearance.

Her disconsolate expression elicited a twinge of guilt from the Youkai Lord. He was dredging up memories that were obviously painful to the girl, but it couldn't be helped. He wrote his lack of sensitivity off as a necessity and quashed the fleeting sentiment of remorse.

"I…I don't know," she replied monotonously, her expressive brown eyes still downcast. The trembling tone in her voice left Sesshomaru with no doubts about the honesty of her answer.

Kagome suppressed a heavy sigh at the thought of the insensitive hanyou. Her wounded heart ached at the memory of last night, but she longed to be certain that Inuyasha wasn't berating himself too much over the situation. As much pain as he had caused her over the past few years, she loved him enough to wish to never cause him any sort of pain or heartache in return. She was just being self-centered the night before. No matter how true her words rang, she should not have said them.

"I am surprised. I would think even he, unrefined as he is, would know better than to let a young maiden travel alone in these woods. Especially one he cares for," he stated, almost derisively. This had struck a nerve. He could smell the salt of tears welling up in her large eyes. To make her cry was not something Sesshomaru had intended, but it was no matter. In the back of his mind he could feel something nagging at him, as if to argue that it did matter, but he ignored it. He could not afford to be sympathetic, least of all to some human wench. After all, he was a demon lord, and she was inconsequential.

"Thank you for your...kindness," she started with a quavering voice, hoping desperately that was the reason he had come to her aid, "but..."

"I am not finished with you, woman," Sesshomaru interrupted her sternly, before she could excuse herself. He could sense that she was trying to worm her way out of what she found to be an uncomfortable, and potentially dangerous, situation, and he found himself displeased. He had just made certain the fool and her wounds were properly cared for, despite have no obligation to do so whatsoever, and she was acting as though he was impending doom, and she needed to escape.

Not that he couldn't be her impending doom, if he wished it, but he had been as hospitable as she deserved. He understood the fearful awe. He would have been insulted if she hadn't expressed it, but Sesshomaru had thought he had made it clear that he meant her no harm. Did she think him so disreputable that he would lie about his intentions?

"My name is Kagome, not woman," she retorted angrily before she could stop herself. She gasped, her eyes wide, as she clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. How could she be so disrespectful to this powerful demon that could, and probably would, rip her to shreds in an instant? Well, at least she wouldn't have to worry about Inuyasha choosing between her and Kikyo now, since she was about to be very dead.

"Insolent wretch!" cried Jaken indignantly. "How dare you summon the audacity to speak to my master in such a manner!"

"Quiet Jaken," Sesshomaru commanded, his deep voice dangerously low. The toad bowed and ceased his exclamations. In truth, the inuyoukai was just as appalled by her impertinence as the imp was. Had he not had more pressing matters at hand, Sesshomaru would have taught the woman a lesson in respect. "What news have you of the half demon, Naraku?"

"Naraku? Oh, him? Well, none really," she fidgeted in agitation, unable to even make up anything interesting that could possibly cause Sesshomaru to want to keep her alive. "We've been trying to find his castle for so long now, but all of our leads have been traps or dead ends."

"I see."

"So," Kagome started, smiling nervously. The anxious pit in her stomach began to grow larger as she fidgeted with the threads of her frayed sleeve. "I guess I'm not much use to you. Sorry 'bout that. Do…Do you think I could go now? Not that I don't appreciate your kindness, but I don't want to get in your way or anything, and I sort of have some place I need to go… Inuyasha and the others will probably be wondering where I got off to, and…"

"Stop your incessant babbling!" the Demon Lord snapped in annoyance. Now she was lying to him! Did her lack of respect for him know no bounds? "You have no plans to return to my brother's company. Do you think me stupid?"

"N…No, I…oh."

Again, Kagome found herself at a loss for words. How did he know that she didn't plan to return to Inuyasha and the others? She almost wondered if the Youkai Lord could read minds. What was it that he wanted from her anyway? She had no information on Naraku, he had made it clear on previous encounters that he had no interest in the shards of the Shikon jewel, and if he planned to kill her, he sure was taking his sweet time.

"Rin, how would you like another friend to keep you company while I am away?" Sesshomaru asked his young ward, softly.

Kagome's chocolate eyes widened with astonishment at his statement. He was going to keep her around…as a babysitter? Who did he think he was, just deciding that she was going to do his bidding without her consent? Then again, what could she do about it? It wasn't like she had her bow and arrows, and even then she was no match for the powerful inuyoukai. She would be little more than Sesshomaru's slave, and Inuyasha wasn't coming to save her this time. She felt as though her entire body had been turned to stone as the realization washed over her.

"Very much so milord!" she replied enthusiastically, clapping her small hands together in excitement.

"Then it is settled. Kagome, you will serve as Rin's companion and caretaker," the Demon Lord declared as though he was a King decreeing his new law.

"What? I can't do that! I have other obligations back in my own era," she protested indignantly. She couldn't believe his nerve or his arrogance. Just who did he think he was? He obviously had more in common with Inuyasha than he knew.

"That is of no consequence to me," he replied tonelessly, not even bothering to look in her direction.

"But… My family... I can't just abandon them... They'll worry," she exclaimed as if to appeal to the familial sense of obligation that Sesshomaru had proven time and time again he did not possess.

"Oh, Lord Sesshomaru, we cannot keep her from her family," Rin declared worriedly, her brows furrowing in concern. Although she was excited at the prospect of a female companion, she did not want one that was forced to stay with her.

A flutter of hope rose in Kagome's belly. Thank goodness for kind-hearted little girls! If anyone could appeal to his softer side it was Rin. All was not lost quite yet.

"You may see your family for three days once every month. If you decide not to return during a visit, I will fetch you myself," he warned her. The hopeful feeling rose to Kagome's chest and swelled with the smug comprehension that, once she was in her own era, she could choose when to come back, if ever.

"Hah! Good luck with that. No one can pass through the well without a jewel shard," she exclaimed, then covered her mouth with both of her hands as she realized she had said too much. "Anyway," she continued, her voice laced with uncertainty, "Inuyasha and I are the only one's able to pass through the well."

"We shall see," Sesshomaru replied curtly, clearly doubting the fact that there was something Inuyasha could do that he could not. The Youkai Lord turned and began to walk deeper into the forest, the party trailing behind him, Rin clinging tightly onto her new friend's hand.

"It'll be so nice to have another girl around," she remarked happily as she skipped alongside the raven-haired young woman, a toothy grin plastered across her fresh face, while Kagome tried to quash her resentment towards the young girl's joy at this newfound enslavement.


	4. A Shard

**A/N: Enjoy the updated chapter!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

Sesshomaru was thoroughly annoyed. No, he was beyond annoyed. The woman, Kagome, had challenged his dictate openly, and he had done nothing about it. He did not dispatch her like he would any other creature that opposed him. Instead she faced no consequences at all, as he had no desire to upset his young ward. Damned headstrong fool of a girl! Why didn't he just let her go back to her family? Now, he had another weak human female to chase after every time she got herself into a troublesome situation. Plus this business about letting her visit her family was quite a hassle, but he had to admit it had led to some interesting information.

Sesshomaru did not know, until this time, that Kagome was from a different era. The girl had always seemed strange, yes, but he had never considered the possibility that she was from the future. It was beneath him to ponder matters concerning humans, but, it was not her that he was concerned with. The prospect of traveling through time piqued his interest, not that he actually planned to try using the well himself. The information was good, and, if ever a need arose for such a thing, Sesshomaru liked to be well informed.

Kagome was angry, although angry did not seem like a strong enough word in her opinion. How dare he order her about like that! She couldn't believe the nerve of him. Demon Lord or not, Sesshomaru had no right to tell her when she was allowed to visit her family and how she was to spend her time in the Feudal Era. She didn't really mind playing caretaker for Rin. The girl was sweet and friendly, much like Kagome herself, but, if he thought that he could get away with ordering her about like she was his servant, the inuyoukai had another thing coming!

The small party had been walking for what seemed like hours to Kagome. Her already stiff legs were even sorer than before, and the forest's dense underbrush kept jabbing her tender bruises and raking at the multitude of scrapes and cuts on her legs. Many of the sores upon her legs had started bleeding all over again.

Next to her Rin continued skipping along merrily seeming indefatigable to Kagome. Skipping through a forest this thick would have been torture to Kagome, not even any semblance of fun. She could never keep up the pace as Rin did, especially not with that jovial smile plastered on her face the whole time. Suddenly Kagome's thoughts were interrupted by a familiar sensation.

"I sense a jewel shard," she stated quietly to no one in particular, peering in the direction from which she sensed it in the hopes that she would spot the demon that possessed the powerful fragment.

"I am not concerned with the Shikon no Tama, nor do I have any need for the shards. Since I do not detect Naraku, this shard is not associated with him, and therefore negligible," Sesshomaru remarked coldly, disconcerting Kagome. She had forgotten, for a moment, that she was with someone who was not searching for the fragments and did not care who or what possessed them. Steeling herself, she stopped walking with the group and turned in the direction of the shard. She hoped the demon was a weak one, as it looked like she would be facing it on her own.

"Well I am concerned with the shards! I can't let some demon terrorize innocent people with the power the shard gives it. I broke the jewel, so it's my responsibility to clean up the mess," she declared gallantly, dashing away from the small party and toward the jewel.

So, the Shikon No Tama was shattered by her hands. This was also new and interesting information to Sesshomaru. He had assumed his idiot brother had broken it while trying to steal it from the villagers so that he could become a full demon. He also found that he could not argue with her logic. It was her responsibility to "clean up the mess" as she put it. He would have done the same thing. Not because he cared for the fates of humans as Kagome did, but because his honor would not allow him to do any less. The fact that she also possessed the same sense of honor almost amazed him. He had always found humans to be weak and cowardly, with no sense of responsibility for their indiscretions.

After letting his thoughts settle a moment, he decided to pursue her. He could feel the demonic aura emanating from the creature Kagome sought. He sensed that it was a pathetic excuse for a demon when compared to one such as himself, but a mere human would not have such an easy time exterminating it, especially a human that did not currently possess any weaponry. He was traveling with a damn fool of a woman, but a courageous and honorable fool of a woman at least.

"Jaken, stay with Rin," he enjoined succinctly. Then, with a flash of silver hair and white kimono he was gone, dashing between the trees adeptly.

'Already the wench is interrupting my search for Naraku,' Sesshomaru thought to himself irritably as he followed Kagome silently. Although he could not fault her for being honorable, this was most definitely an inconvenience. One that he hoped she didn't make a habit.

x.X.x

Kagome slowed her pace, panting. She was too tired to chase after a demon. Hell, she was too tired to be traipsing through the forest following a demon with pretty silver hair. Fending even a weak demon off on her own would be near impossible in the state she was in, so why was she doing it? She knew the answer, but she had never really fought a demon by herself, and this one had the added power of a shard of the jewel. This was certainly going to be a challenge. Then she was struck, like lightning, by a sudden realization. Her bow and arrows were back in Kaede's hut. There was no way she stood a chance without them. But it was no matter; she had to at least try. Her only comfort was the fact that once her heart was no longer beating, it wouldn't be aching so badly either.

She searched the forest floor for anything that might make a good weapon. A pointy stick or a heavy object would do just fine, or at least she hoped. Finally her endeavor ended in reward. She reached down and lifted a knobby and crooked but fairly long stick. It was a thin, but sturdy branch that had been broken from a tree at an awkward angle leaving a sharp, jagged tip at one end. Kagome decided it would be suitable for self-defense if she could not get the shard in any other manner.

Determinedly Kagome continued her trek through the woods in search of the demon with the shard. As she came to a bright clearing, she spotted a lizard demon and a pretty young girl, who Kagome surmised was probably only a few years her junior. The poor girl was frozen in fear as the lizard surveyed her greedily.

Quickly taking stock of the situation, Kagome searched for the jewel shard and found that it was embedded in the creature's scales on the back of his neck. Her soft hands clenched tightly into fists around the rough bark of her improvised weapon as she readied herself. Her grip was so tight that she could feel indentations from the bark already forming in the flesh of her hands.

'You can do this,' she thought to herself as optimistically as she could. Her heart felt as though it was in her throat, and she could hear the roar of blood pounding in her ears.

"Yesss...," it hissed, flicking his disgusting red tongue out as he spoke, "you will make a fine addition to my harem..."

Kagome shuddered. No one in their right mind would acquiesce to such a demand willingly. The demon was absolutely grotesque. It was taller than most humans but lanky, its hide covered in thick moss green scales with sharp spikes projecting down the spine of its hunched back. Kagome had never liked lizards to begin with, and this oversized brute was no exception. Determined not to let the girl suffer such a terrible fate, Kagome decided to make her presence known to the demon.

"Hey you! Let the girl go and hand over that jewel shard you have on your back!" she demanded, brandishing her makeshift weapon in an attempt to look intimidating. She had a feeling she wasn't as impressive as she hoped. She already looked half-dead as it was, covered in cuts and bruises and wearing a tattered and dirt-stained uniform.

"What have we here?" the demon jeered derisively, chuckling at the audacious girl as though she were some sort of joke. Obviously, he did not find Kagome menacing in the least. "Another pretty girl that wisssshessss to join my harem, sssso it sssseemssss."

Kagome was almost flattered by the compliment, but the idea of joining the lizard's harem was largely unappealing. She raised her weapon, preparing to jam the sharp tip of her crude spear between the scales that protected the jewel shard.

"Run!" the other girl cried desperately. "Do not worry for my sake. You are not cursed to such a fate as mine. Do not try to fight the beast. Escape while you can!"

"I will do no such thing!" Kagome exclaimed, determinedly. "Lizard, give me your shard and let the girl go free!"

She charged at him, as fast as her legs would carry her, trying to get at the lizard, but he easily sidestepped her attack. Kagome wheeled around, righting herself and turning to face the creature again, a look of grim determination plastered on her face.

The demon snickered in amusement. What did a mere human hope to achieve by challenging him? But at least fortune was smiling upon him. She was a very attractive woman despite being a bit battered, and if she did not become too irritating, she would make a fine addition to his collection. Two new women would indeed make for a very good day.

Kagome raised her weapon and charged the creature again. Again, the demon dodged her attack, and again she whirled around to face him, panting heavily. She was just so tired, and the lizard was only playing with her. She wasn't fast enough to match the speed of even the lowliest of demons, and even if she had been, she wasn't certain she possessed the strength or skill enough to win at close quarters combat.

"When you have tired of your gamesssss, let me know, little girl," the demon taunted, laughing its strangely serpentine snicker.

"You asked for it," she muttered angrily, charging him a third time. The demon was laughing so hard that his yellow eyes were streaming as he stepped to the side once more. His mirth quickly came to an end when a deft blow to the back of the head had him seeing stars. Kagome had swung her branch around with as much force as she could muster as she passed him by this time.

'Got him!' Kagome celebrated inwardly for a brief moment. She had landed one successful blow, but she had not ended the fight.

"Why you," he growled infuriated, grabbing the young woman roughly by the hair before she had another chance to swing. He knocked the branch out of her hands and held her before him. "Sssssso pretty.. It isss a sssshame that I mussst make an exsssample of you."

Kagome whimpered pitifully. The odds were definitely not in her favor now, and she had already been testing them as it was. She struggled as fiercely as she could, trying desperately to free herself from his grasp, but a swift backhand from the creature knocked her unconscious. The other girl lowered her eyes, her hopes of escape diminished. She pitied the young woman who had foolishly tried to rescue her from the monster. She could guarantee that the ideas percolating the creature's mind would not be pleasant for the unconscious woman.


	5. Rescue

**A/N: Oh, I definitely feel like I improved this chapter! Hope you all like the changes!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

The now familiar scent of Kagome's fear wound its way, snakelike, through the trees of the dense forest, an almost imperceptible breeze wafting the pervading odor directly underneath Sesshomaru's finely tuned nose. He surmised that the woman was probably in a great deal of trouble, a fact which the Demon Lord found incredibly unsurprising. She was definitely a rash being, and, in her haste to retrieve the shard of the Shikon no Tama, she had most likely rushed head first at the demon without even considering her own well-being.

"What a fool," the demon lord muttered under his breath in annoyance. Did she really think she could stand her ground against a demon in possession of the jewel shard both single- and empty-handed? Sesshomaru reached the clearing in time to witness Kagome dangling by her hair in the lizard's grasp as he knocked her unconscious.

"I would relinquish that woman if I were you, vermin," he stated icily, hidden by the shadows of the forest's leafy verdure. The sound sent shivers up both the demon's and the conscious girl's backs.

"Doess sssshe belong to you?" the demon sneered, shaking off his fear and flinging the woman to the ground unceremoniously as he turned to face his new opponent. She hit the ground with a resounding thud, falling hard onto her side, her raven locks settling chaotically over her face and obscuring it from view.

"Yes," Sesshomaru replied coolly, stepping out of the shadows. The girl that the lizard demon had been tormenting gasped in astonishment at the beauty of the demon before her and the frighteningly cold expression he wore upon his flawless features.

"Then you sssshould have taught her better mannerssss," he hissed, chuckling to himself and surveying the Demon Lord before him arrogantly, the jewel shard in the back of his neck giving him false confidence. "Take her, if you can."

Sesshomaru wasted no time complying with the demon's offer. In one fluid motion, he thrust his poison claw through the creature's neck, dislodging the tainted jewel shard as his hand melted through the creature's thick scales as smoothly as a knife through butter. The glistening purple stone fell to the ground, gleaming through the thick grass that covered it. The demon crumpled, collapsing in a heap on the ground, its yellowed eyes cloudy and lifeless. It did not even have time to gasp for air before it had died. Without giving the lowly creature a second thought, Sesshomaru shook the blood from his claws and turned to examine Kagome.

She was lying in the grass, completely motionless, and if it hadn't been for his sharp sense of hearing, he would have missed the almost imperceptible sound of her slowed breathing. The smell of fresh blood wasn't on her, but, not deigning to bend over to attend to any possible wounds, he nudged her with his toe, rolling her onto her back just to be sure. A fresh bruise in the shape of a scaly claw was forming, dark against the pale skin of her cheek, but he could discern no other new marks upon her.

Once Sesshomaru had determined that the woman could be moved without exacerbating some sort of injury, he tossed her roughly over his shoulder, for the second time that day. The Demon Lord couldn't help feeling that this woman spent an inordinate amount of time unconscious. Without any regard to the woman dangling limp over his shoulder, the inuyoukai bent to retrieve the source of all this inconvenience. He could feel the turmoil inside the darkened shard as it touched his skin, sparking a bit as it fought to overpower him, but it was of minor consequence. A single shard might have swayed a lesser demon, but the Lord Sesshomaru wouldn't be controlled so easily. His gaze shifted from the shard, and he noticed the other girl who had remained frozen, watching him fearfully.

"Return to your village before his fate becomes yours as well," he instructed as he disappeared into the forest, not even bothering to glance back at her. The young female was quick to oblige him, tripping over herself without grace in the hurry to remove herself from the Youkai Lord's presence.

Deciding he was not yet ready to return to his party, the demon lord meandered for awhile, Kagome slung over his shoulder. He debated the merits of keeping the woman as a travelling companion as he walked aimlessly. She had already proven herself quite incommodious, on top of being discourteous and obstinate. Anyone with any sort of desire for self-preservation would have kept their displeasure with Sesshomaru and his decisions to themselves, instead of attempting to dispute them. But here was this headstrong food of a woman challenging his authority within minutes of being conscious in his presence, and he had allowed that.

On top of that, he was finding himself intrigued by her, a feat that should have been impossible for a human to accomplish. She was courageous, albeit exceptionally imprudent. She was honorable, a trait Sesshomaru was certain no other human possessed. And, he had to admit to himself, she was something of an enigma. She hailed from a different time period, and if that wasn't strange enough, she then chose to spend her time traipsing through the past with some pathetic half demon who didn't even qualify as proper protection. And even then, despite the hanyou's shortcomings, she fell in love with him, all while he languished over some dead priestess that had bound him to a tree for fifty years.

Sesshomaru sighed to himself inwardly. He would never understand humans or their petty emotions. But now, thanks to this woman, he was dwelling on them as though he were curious, as if humanity had any business inside the private confines of his mind. If he had any sense at all, he would just rid himself of her and all the hassle she was bound to be if he allowed her to continue on with them. Who would know? He could dispatch her here, or throw her in the well or do whatever it was he pleased to liberate himself of her company, and no one would be the wiser. He could just tell Rin he arrived too late, and there was nothing he could do about it.

His eyes moved to the sword on his hip. Damned useless weapon. Rin was the only good the rusted thing ever managed. Here the Tensaiga was, hindering him yet again. Rin would know he was lying. She knew better than anyone the capabilities of his sword. The Demon Lord scoffed at his ridiculous line of thinking. He was Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands. He didn't answer to a ten year old. In fact, he could rid himself of Kagome and owe no one any explanation whatsoever.

It didn't matter, however. The inuyoukai's honor would not allow him to murder this woman while she was unconscious. If he did decide to dispatch her, she would be awake and facing him, weapon in hand. Unlike Naraku, he did not prey on the helpless.

His thoughts were disrupted by the burbling sound of running water. Up ahead, he could see a small stream shimmering golden in the sunlight. As he approached the rocky embankment, he could see that the slow-moving water was so clear that he could make out the smooth, stony bottom of the channel perfectly. The stream itself was wide and reasonably shallow, but deep enough for a person lying on their back to be almost completely covered by water. Well, the woman did need a bath. Taking no care to be gentle with her, he hefted Kagome over his shoulder and dropped her in the water, completely dousing her. For the second time this day, Kagome woke with a pounding headache.

"What did you do that for? That water is freezing!" she shouted angrily, jumping out of the frigid water instantly. Then, remembering the earlier events, surveyed her surroundings with confusion. "What happened?"

It was late in the afternoon, and evening was quickly approaching. The birds in the trees above her were twittering lethargically as the bright orange orb in the sky was beginning to make its routine descent. She was no longer in the bright clearing, fending off a lizard demon. Instead she was on the rocky banks of a wide stream with Sesshomaru who was towering over her disinterestedly.

"It would appear you cannot go a day without managing to lose consciousness at the most inopportune of times," Sesshomaru replied unsympathetically, trying to keep his annoyance with her out of her voice. It would not do for the female to learn that she could touch on his nerves.

Gingerly, she pressed a cold hand to her cheek, soothing the bruise where the demon had struck her, wincing a little. Kagome dipped her hand into the cold water and pressed it to her face a second time. She grimaced again, clutching her side carefully, when she realized her ribs were now bruised as well.

"Are you injured?" he inquired, trying to sound apathetic as his eyes roamed her body for any outward sign of injury that he had missed during his cursory examination. He hadn't discerned the pungent odor of fresh blood, but for some unknown reason, he found himself concerned, nonetheless.

"I'm just a little sore. I probably hurt myself worse last night," she answered him with a small, sheepish smile that caught him off guard. "Thank you for asking."

He stood there silently, watching her shiver, hugging her arms about herself for warmth. Her long dark tresses hung mussed about her face appealingly, curling at the ends slightly as they began to dry. Her short uniform was clinging to her curves inappropriately, and the white top, drenched with water, had become almost transparent. It was a sight that would have made a lesser man blush and rouse lust in even the most chaste. She was, by all means, an attractive woman, for a human.

Sesshomaru pushed the thought from his mind in disgust. She was a human and, therefore, undeserving of such thoughts. He would never stoop to his father's level. After all, he was a full blooded Youkai Lord of discerning tastes. When he took a mate, if the time ever came, she would not only be beautiful, but powerful as well.

Kagome, unaware of her appearance, was also watching Sesshomaru with an intense interest. The orange sunlight seemed to be tangled in his silver locks, making them glow luminously, and once again, Kagome was caught off guard by his beauty. His towering figure and noble mien coupled with his pale skin and elegant dress and markings were enough to take anyone's breath away. But, there was something about his eyes that Kagome was becoming infatuated with. For a moment, she wondered if it was because they reminded her of Inuyasha's familiar amber eyes, but that couldn't be it. They were cold and seemingly emotionless, yet not. There was something hidden beneath those limpid golden pools, something she couldn't put her finger on. Something she almost wanted to discover.

Sesshomaru caught her staring. It surprised him. She was not lowering her eyes in respect, but studying him. Should he be insulted that she was openly showing him such disrespect, or should he take her scrutiny as a compliment? He knew not. He realized that she was shivering uncontrollably and felt a twinge of guilt for throwing her into the freezing water. Immediately he shook the though from his head. He was becoming soft like his father, something he would prevent from occurring at all costs.

"If you feel you must collect the shards of the Shikon no Tama, you may do so. I now understand that it is a matter of your honor. Do not pursue a demon without informing me first. Nor shall you attempt to do battle with one without the proper weaponry. I do not like inconveniencing myself for your sake," he remarked calmly. He was disguising his anger with her well.

"Yes, thank you Sesshomaru-sama," she replied bowing her head. This action of hers also surprised him, though he did not show it. She was a strange woman, indeed, unlike any of the silly humans he had come across before. Although, she had the tendency to be foolish, it was over the well-being of others, not her own. At least, with this knowledge, he could feel secure in his choice of caretaker for his young ward. "If I may ask, why did you trouble yourself for my sake?"

"Rin would be sad to lose her companion," he stated succinctly as he began to walk in the direction of his vassals and away from the shivering woman. Kagome, grateful for her life, followed the Youkai Lord wordlessly.


	6. Musings

**A/N: Enjoy**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

It had been three and a half long weeks since Kagome began traveling with Sesshomaru. The party did not seem to do much as a whole, and Sesshomaru disappeared often. Now was one of these times, and the group was at a standstill. Kagome always wondered where he traveled while he was away from them. Like he promised, he had allowed Kagome to pursue the fragments of the jewel and even supplied her with a new bow and quiver full of arrows. However, she had not had much luck find any more shards. Other than the initial shard she found with Sesshomaru, she had come across only one other. The other shards she possessed had been left in her backpack with her friends, and she was almost certain that the rest were in Naraku's possession.

'Except for the ones in Koga's legs,' she reminded herself silently. She was curious as to his well-being as well as that of the rest of her friends. Rin was a wonderful little girl who took the edge off her loneliness, but she often reminded Kagome of Shippo. She missed the young kitsune greatly. She also craved adult companionship. Rin, who was only ten, was not a suitable confidante for a grown woman. It made her long for Sango, her best friend and closest confidante. Hell, she even missed Miroku's generally wise, and sometimes lecherous, council.

Her thoughts would also often wander to Inuyasha, no matter how much she tried to forget about him. She loved him dearly, and forgetting him seemed nigh impossible. He had left a gaping hole deep within her chest right where her heart should be, and she wasn't sure when it would start healing. She often cried to herself at night when she ought to have been sleeping, and at times, she would wake up crying after dreaming of him. Even though she was far from him, it still felt as though he was ever present. She felt lost and broken, unable to move on from her feelings of hurt and rejection.

But, as time progressed, Kagome was beginning to find herself growing more and more attached to Sesshomaru. Sure, he was laconic. There were entire days where he would go without speaking. But, he had kept all his promises, and he was not the villain she had originally thought him to be. He was sweet and tender with Rin, in his own way, and he had actually allowed Kagome to visit with her family for a short while.

It was a pleasant reunion, though short and bittersweet. She explained her situation to her mother, who listened patiently and understandingly. Her mother then admitted to seeing Inuyasha a few times and to being very worried when he told her he had no idea of her daughter's whereabouts. She was more than relieved to see Kagome and urged her to remain in the present, but, of course, Kagome refused. She had to abide by the rules Sesshomaru had laid out, as he had confiscated one of her shards for that very reason. If he was somehow able to make it to her era, she couldn't even begin to imagine the trouble it would cause, and she would never want to endanger her family. Sesshomaru may have been more reasonable that Kagome expected, but she definitely did not wish to push boundaries only to have him push back with greater force.

Kagome looked over at a stuffed yellow backpack sitting in the tall grass. That had been the best part about going home. As much as she had missed her family, she had missed soap an incredible amount as well…and food. She had really missed good food. Even the instant ramen noodles she brought back with were better than some of the food they scavenged while Sesshomaru was away. She had also retired her school uniform and brought a few pairs of shorts and some t-shirts (along with a various assortment of other things her mother insisted she pack). It wasn't like she needed it any more, since she would no longer be returning to her time for classes as she had done while traveling with Inuyasha. The thought of his name brought back the stinging of isolation she was beginning to feel.

Really though, her experiences without Inuyasha and the rest of the group were not so bad, except for the crippling loneliness she often felt. Other than Jaken, the group was fairly amenable. Sesshomaru was kind to her, in his own way, and very honorable. He kept to himself mostly, adding to Kagome's loneliness, but she was not unduly discontent. Although it wasn't exactly easy, she was learning life without Inuyasha wasn't quite as difficult as she imagined it would be, and although she missed him terribly, she also realized that her broken heart wouldn't be able to manage seeing him again for a while, yet.

She yawned, and stretched her arms a bit. It was a nice night, warm and balmy, just the way a late spring evening should be. There were crickets chirping softly, and, every once in awhile, owls would hoot off in the distance. The endless black sky was so full of shimmering silver stars that there really was no need for the warm fire that crackled jovially in the middle of the encampment, but Kagome felt as though it lightened her heavy mood a bit. They had been camped here a few days now, waiting on Sesshomaru's return, and she was starting to go stir crazy.

She never used to sit around lazily waiting on someone to take care of everything for her. She used to fight alongside her friends, her heart pounding in her chest and adrenaline flowing through her veins in the heat of battle. She was bound to get rusty, just lazing about. Not that chasing after Rin wasn't good exercise (that little girl sure was energetic), but it wasn't the same. She missed thrill and excitement of adventure almost as much as she missed her friends, and she missed having someone that relied on her for more than just the menial tasks she performed for Rin now. She had felt powerful and capable with her bow in hand, a notched arrow glowing pink with sacred light. She no longer felt like a force to be reckoned with, but she desperately wanted to feel that way again. More than just the parts of her that belonged to Inuyasha ached to return to that life.

Her thoughts turned to Sango, the taji-ya who she fought alongside, cried with, laughed with and everything else they did together. She wished she could cry on the woman's shoulder and be comforted by someone who understood her heartache. She wished she could confide in the woman like she used to. Sango was like a sister, and she was probably very worried at this point. She wondered if Inuyasha had gone back to her era after Kagome had visited home, and if her mother had told him where Kagome was now. That would put Sango's mind even more ill at ease, but at least she would know the priestess was alive.

Shippo probably missed her something fierce as well. She missed his smiling face and cute fluffy tail. She smiled to herself when she thought about how big his eyes would get when she brought treats for him from her era. She even missed his petty squabbles with Inuyasha.

She missed Miroku too. Despite the monk's roaming hands, he was also a great comfort to Kagome in times of hardship. He was so level-headed and always knew the right thing to say. She hoped he was holding the rest of her friends together without much trouble.

Kagome sighed and stared into the flickering fire trying to focus on something other than everything and everyone she missed terribly. She watched the bright flames lapping at the charred branches they used to feed the fire. She could feel the heat radiating from it, warming the soft skin of her face and painting everything around her in an orange glow. She watched as the smoke from the fire twisted up into the air gracefully, its acrid scent almost burning her nostrils. It was a cozy fire, like the ones she often shared with all of her friends as they lay underneath the stars, the same stars that were twinkling brightly overhead, preparing for the day ahead. Damn, there she was again, thinking about the friends she was yearning to see.

x.X.x

From the evening shadows Sesshomaru observed the young priestess. She was a very good companion for Rin and indulgent in the areas that he could not be. He was extremely grateful for her; although that was something he would never admit it. She made sure the girl was fed, bathed, and had started teaching the girl etiquette, archery and whatever other knowledge Kagome possessed. He was glad Rin had another female to learn from and spend time with. On top of that, she was pleasant to have around, but he had noticed a change in her since the last time he had seen her with his half-brother. Before traveling with him, the woman was lively and vivacious, and she carried herself so confidently. Now she was withdrawn and reticent, and although she still smiled often, the expression often seemed forced and insincere. He easily recognized the sadness and loneliness within her smile. She was unhappy. This bothered Sesshomaru, for he found himself becoming unwillingly attached to the woman.

It was strange how quickly the woman had grown on him, despite his hatred of her kind, and how quickly he had come to care for her. She was soft-spoken and tender, yet determined and brave all at once. She was an endearing mix of woman, warrior and fool. It would be impossible for anyone with a heart, even one as frosty as his, not to become fond of her. But however much he did care for her, he knew he was too selfish to let her return to the ignorant and undeserving Inuyasha. Nor did he want her to return home to her family, as he would likely never see her again if she returned to her era. But, at the same time, he could not stand the thought of her unhappiness. Sesshomaru found himself at an impasse with himself.

He watched as she sighed heavily her dreamy eyes vacant, seeming almost lost as she stared into the glowing orange flames of the night's campfire. Rin had already fallen asleep next to Ah-Un, and Jaken was tending the fire lethargically. He wondered what it was she was thinking about this time as she leaned against a good-sized tree. He surmised resentfully that it was that mutt he called his half-brother, but almost wished that it was himself, instead, that occupied her thoughts. He tried to shake that thought from his mind.

Yes, the girl was lovely, and she was very good with Rin, but she was also a human. He should not be thinking of her this way. It chagrined him that his mind would so easily turn to such distasteful thoughts after a mere three weeks in her company. That had been the reason he had been spending so much time away lately. Maybe he should rid himself of her after all, before he became too attached. Where would she go if he did ask her to leave? Would she return to the half-breed even though he had broken her fragile heart?

He became angry as he pondered this. Inuyasha did not realize how lucky he was to have such a girl to care for him. She would sometimes cry out for him in her sleep, or fake sleep while letting her tears fall quietly when she thought no one was around. The Demon Lord knew the salty scent well. He could not recall anyone crying for his sake, and almost felt…jealous of his half-brother. Was that possible? Could he really be covetous of the half-breed, Inuyasha? He decided he would at least exchange words with her. It was not a thought he relished, having no experience with humans or their pointless emotions, but, what else could he do for the woman after all she had done for Rin?

Silently, he approached from behind her, knots forming in his stomach, a new feeling for him outside of combat. He found himself discomfited that a mortal woman could actually cause him to feel so nervous, but he was anxious. Sesshomaru did not desire for her to decide to take her leave of him, but he also did not wish for Kagome to remain so melancholy in his company.

"Come," he murmured simply. Startled Kagome jumped and spun around quickly to face him, her lovely chocolate eyes wide with surprise. It was obvious that she had not been expecting his return so late in the evening. Without a word, she rose and followed him away from the firelight, curiosity consuming her mind. What was it that he could possibly want from her?


	7. Heart To Heart

**A/N: One of my favorite chapters! I just love fluff! :D**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

An orchestra of chirping crickets and the sound of a soft breeze whispering through spring's fresh green leaves filled the air. This cool breeze kissed Kagome's milky skin as she walked evoking a slight shiver and sending waves of goose bumps across her flesh. Above, the navy blue sky stretched like a velvet canvas covered with splashes of shimmering alabaster stars. A waning crescent hung over head, the silver sliver reminding Kagome of Inuyasha. Soon it would be the night of the new moon and the hanyou would be human for a night. Would he be all right without her? Sesshomaru cleared his throat, interrupting her thoughts.

"You are unhappy," he said finally in his soothingly deep voice. It wasn't a question. Kagome was surprised that he had noticed and found hersef caught off guard by his question. Why would he care about something as trivial as her happiness? It seemed unlike him.

"Well…Yes and no," she replied meekly, her eyes reflecting the confusion his statement had evoked in her. Her answer defied logic, making no sense to the now perplexed Demon Lord. How was it possible for anyone to be happy yet unhappy all at once?

"I do not understand," he stated, furrowing his brow almost imperceptibly, obviously baffled by her nonsensical answer. Leave it to a human woman to complicate something that should be simple.

"I am… Oh how do I put this…Content? Rin is a bright and wonderful little girl, and you are...," she trailed off, not sure how to say exactly what it was she had on her mind. She couldn't help but feel bewildered by Sesshomaru's sudden inquisition. Rin was happy and well-cared for, wasn't that all that mattered to him? Could he truly be concerned about her and her happiness? The thought filled her stomach with nervous butterflies. She knew she could be charming, albeit awkwardly so at times, but was she really charming enough that she had tamed the hateful heart of the Demon Lord of the Western Lands in a mere three weeks time? It seemed more than impossible. Maybe Rin had noticed and said something to the youkai, but Kagome had tried very hard to hide any feelings of discontent from the girl, who was a bit on the oblivious side as it was.

"I am what?" he inquired, his interest piqued. He could not help but wonder what it was she thought of him. He could not get her out of his head, not since that day at the stream. Even when he was away from her, he couldn't shake the bewitching thoughts that pervaded his mind. He found himself fretting, wondering if her thoughts about him would be negative or unflattering. He chided himself mentally. Since when did he start becoming concerned with the opinions of humans? Sesshomaru was beginning to worry that he had more in common with his father than he would ever like to admit.

"You…You are more…accommodating…than I would've expected," she continued honestly still trying to find the right words for her thoughts. He arched an elegant silver eyebrow. She thought him accommodating. It was better than what he expected, but it wasn't necessarily what the inuyoukai was hoping to hear. "I do like traveling with you, well when you choose to take us along with you, and I love taking care of Rin."

"But there is still part of you that is unhappy," he persisted. If she was content with his company and enjoyed traveling with him, he was curious to learn the cause of this unhappiness.

"I... I am lonely," she admitted, her large brown eyes cheerless and downcast. Sesshomaru found the miserable look that graced her delicate features heartrending. "Rin is a friendly and nice girl, but she is too young to offer me the companionship that I would like. And you…Well, you're not much of a conversationalist. I miss my friends, and I wish I had someone to confide in."

"What is it you feel the need to discuss?" he asked earnestly, his monotonous voice quiet as he peered at her through his perfect golden eyes. Eyes that were so much like Inuyasha's they made Kagome's heart ache even worse. She wished he would stop looking at her like that, so sincerely. It made her feel as though he actually cared what was going on inside of her labyrinth of a mind.

"Well...," she paused. She couldn't bring herself to say it, not to Sesshomaru. It was none of his business, anyway. Why did he feel the need to pry? This was so embarrassing! She was becoming frustrated. This was not the type of friend she needed. He considered her beneath him and would probably dismiss her problems as petty. After all, human emotions were not something that Sesshomaru ever truly understood nor did he even care about them.

"It's the hanyou, isn't it? You miss him. You call out his name in your sleep some nights," he stated softly. He smelled the salt of tears welling up in her eyes and watched her face flush uncomfortably. He was inwardly chagrined. Not only because he upset her, but also because, somehow he had managed to develop feelings for this human woman, and they were unrequited. She would rather have a lousy half demon, who would never return her feelings. What a pathetic fool he was being. How could he, Sesshomaru let a woman, a human woman no less, into his heart and allow her to hurt him? It was disconcerting for the Demon Lord to experience such a thing.

"I do miss him," she stated softly, a single tear escaping from one of her dark eyes. He cursed Inuyasha for wounding this woman that cared about him so much, this woman that cared for the half demon in a way that Sesshomaru, as distasteful to him as the idea was, wished she would care him, instead.

She had loved Inuyasha, for years, following him loyally despite the fact that he loved someone else. Of course she didn't care for him, Sesshomaru, in that manner. It had only been three weeks that she had spent with him, and he had been away for at least half of that time. He was a damned fool not to realize it sooner. How was it that she invaded his mind so easily? Briefly, the inuyoukai wondered if this was what it felt like to be ignored after three weeks, how horrible must it feel for Kagome who had been spurned for three years?

"If it is your wish, you may return to him," the demon lord replied tonelessly, turning away. He did not want to see her go, and Kagome was beginning to realize it.

For a moment, she was flabbergasted. It didn't seem possible. Sesshomaru was cold and unfeeling, and he had no love for humans, with the extraordinarily rare case of Rin. There was no way he had any sort of feelings towards her whatsoever. Kagome felt her heartbeat quicken nervously.

Sesshomaru sighed inwardly, mentally reminding himself not to hang his head like he secretly wished to do. He heard her heartbeat accelerate with the anticipation of leaving. She was excited to run back to his half brother. Something in the pit of his stomach roiled angrily as it did the day that the Youkai Lord realized Tetsusaiga had been left to the hanyou. It was envy, a feeling Sesshomaru had almost forgotten.

Kagome took a deep breath trying to clear her racing mind. She had begun to feel more at ease around Sesshomaru, but it was more out of comfortability with her new situation than anything else. It was difficult to become fond of Sesshomaru due to his aloof nature. He kept everyone at a distance, but Kagome could clearly see how affectionate he was towards Rin, even though it wasn't obvious. Because of her own fondness for Rin, that in itself was enough for Kagome to develop some sort attachment to Sesshomaru, but it seemed he had acquired one for her as well. The realization was unexpected, but she welcomed it cautiously, hoping she wouldn't find herself mistaken. Maybe, eventually, she and Sesshomaru could learn to be friends.

Of course it would take time, and Kagome couldn't picture herself teasing him or laughing and joking with him the way she had with Sango and Miroku. But maybe, in time, they could learn to understand each other better. It already seemed they had a mutual respect for one another. He did seem legitimately concerned for her happiness. So maybe a friendship wasn't such a long shot.

"That won't make me happy," Kagome confessed at long last, her soulful eyes downcast. Sesshomaru turned to face the young woman whose tears were flowing freely but silently down her cheeks. Sesshomaru's heart swelled with overwhelming joy. "He doesn't feel the same way I do. I need to keep my distance. I have to try to move past everything he and I shared before I can ever truly be happy. I will always love him, but that doesn't mean I can't move on and be happy some day."

"Then you wish to stay?" he asked, surprising even himself by reaching out and wiping away one of the priestess's tears with a long clawed thumb, reveling for a moment in the softness of her delicate skin. He found himself hopeful once again, but, in true Sesshomaru fashion, he did not show any sign of such emotion.

"Yes," she nodded, now doubting whether or not she meant it for a moment, her voice suddenly shaky and uncertain. She was taken completely aback by the sudden physical interaction with the inuyoukai. Her hand moved instinctively to trace the spot on her cheek he had just touched. Fiery tinglings of sensation had been left behind by his thumb. She was no longer crying, but the salty trails of tears remained upon her flushed cheeks.

"And this will make you happy?" He inquired softly, watching her reaction to his sudden impulsiveness intently. She hadn't cringed or pulled away. She didn't act disgusted or horrified. She was simply stunned, but he couldn't determine what that meant about her feelings toward him.

"Almost," she replied, finding her voice despite still feeling a bit startled. Her knees felt weak and her mind was hazy from his touch. For that moment, she almost wished for more than just a simple friendship with the inuyoukai. Her heart was pounding so loudly that she was sure he could hear it, but she didn't care. She mattered to someone, even if only a small amount. It was enough to satiate the loneliness she felt, for the time being.

Again, the Youkai Lord raised one silver eyebrow, "Almost?"

"It would be easier to be happy if you wouldn't leave me behind so often. I understand that my duty is to care for Rin, but you're away so often, and I feel so lonely without company. I know you probably don't care much for idle conversation, but Jaken refuses to speak to me and Rin is just a little girl. Sometimes I just need a friend to talk to," Kagome paused a moment as she watched his unchanging expression, hoping for a hint of something that would help her feel less confused than she did at this moment, but she found nothing. "Also I miss fighting alongside my friends. I know that you would never need my help fighting or anything like that, but when you are off tracking down leads that aren't incredibly dangerous, I wouldn't mind being included. I am fully capable of protecting Rin. It's just…I miss the adventure of traveling. I feel so bored sitting around and waiting on you all the time."

"I see," the Demon Lord remarked pensively. He knew that the resolution to her loneliness would be simple enough. The singular reason for his time spent away was the fact that he did not want to acknowledge his feelings for the young woman standing before him, but he was realizing that he had tried, like a coward, to escape them. Now that he knew she didn't completely loathe him, he could no longer pretend they weren't there nor would he attempt to run from them again. He would have to endeavor to come to terms with the fact that he had developed some sort of tender feelings for a human woman, if he could stomach the horrible truth. He really was his father's son, after all. How disappointing.


	8. Sparks

**A/N: Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

The more time Kagome spent with Sesshomaru and away from Inuyasha, the less time she spent thinking about the hanyou and the more she found herself daydreaming about the Demon Lord. He had shown her that his attachment to her was growing, and she found her fondness for him increasing daily. Unlike Inuyasha, he rarely spoke a harsh word to her, but considering he rarely spoke at all, it probably wasn't much to celebrate. And although Kagome found it silly to think about, she never had to worry about him chasing after Kikyo.

She almost giggled to herself at this thought. He had been tender with her once, and nothing of the sort had happened again since that occasion. There was no reason for her to start scribbling his name in her notebook like some infatuated school girl. If had really happened the way Kagome remembered it, he probably had just felt sorry for her. She had most likely seemed pretty pathetic to him at that moment. Even still, just thinking about the feel of his fingers brushing the delicate skin of her cheek roused butterflies in her stomach and made her heart pound. She was smitten.

Kagome knew that her developing feelings for the Youkai were a hopeless fantasy. Although he was generally kind, he had made it pretty clear that despised humans as a general rule. And even if he was becoming fond of her, it was probably in the same way he was fond of Rin. He probably saw her as helpless and found it endearing. The thought of Sesshomaru having romantic feelings a human was preposterous. He didn't seem to even have any romantic interests at all. Still, Kagome couldn't help but secretly hope just a tiny bit. Something about his affectionate display that night as he asked about her feelings for Inuyasha kept her daydreaming.

Although his ventures away from the group were occurring less and less frequently, Sesshomaru was currently away from the group investigating a lead on Naraku's whereabouts while everyone else was left sitting around trying to find a way to occupy their time. Jaken kept himself distanced from her, as always, constantly muttering degrading comments about human women under his breath, and Ah-Un, although friendly, also kept to himself, not that he could speak, anyway. Rin was the only one of the group she truly interacted with. It was definitely a far cry from her days with Inuyasha and the gang. Kagome mentally groaned. Why did her mind always go there?

Today Kagome found herself stretched out on her back, head resting on her arms, underneath the blazing overhead sun in a flowery meadow disinterestedly watching Rin chase brightly colored butterflies. It was a pretty, but altogether boring, sight. She was glad to see the girl so happy, although this was not an anomaly, but she was completely bored out of her mind. She felts as thought she was stagnating.

She truly missed the adventures she used to partake in and wished very deeply to continue her fight against Naraku. Despite the constant peril and fear she had faced with her friends, Naraku had inflicted great pain and tragedy upon them, and she desired to help them acquire their vengeance. But, she knew Sesshomaru would never allow her to travel with him if it kept her away from Rin. That was the whole reason he had decided Kagome was to stay with them in the first place.

Kagome also knew that such a thing as looking after a human woman during battle would be a terrible inconvenience to the Demon Lord, and Sesshomaru had made it crystal clear that he was not tolerant of those. She really did not want to impose or make herself hassle. Even still, she could not recall the days she spent traveling with her friends without feeling a twinge of nostalgia. She had never been worried about making a nuisance of herself with her friends. With her ability to see the jewel shards among other spiritual talents, she had always felt like an asset to them.

"Lady Kagome!" Rin exclaimed cheerfully, running to Kagome with a sloppy handful of bright white and lavender flowers. "I picked these for you," she said beaming toothily, her arm outstretched as she handed them to Kagome.

"Thank you, Rin. They are very pretty," she replied taking the flowers and giving the girl a good-natured smile, setting them next to her as she lay back down. She suppressed a wistful sigh. Shippo would sometimes pick her flowers during their treks around the feudal Japanese countryside. She missed the kit desperately, and she knew he was probably missing her just as much.

The corners of her mouth twitched upward slightly at the thought of all the grief Shippo was likely to be giving Inuyasha over her disappearance. Miroku and Sango had probably also had some pretty stern words for the hanyou. She had overheard them chastising him before over similar situations. Kagome now found herself trying to suppress mirthful giggles as entertaining scenarios between her friends and Inuyasha played out in her head.

Maybe she should ask Sesshomaru if he would allow her to visit her friends for a few days or so. It would be nice to know how they were, and they would probably be very relieved and happy to see that she was doing well herself. She decided she would approach him about it when he returned in the evening, hoping fervently that he would give her his consent.

Kagome sat up and stretched, arching her back with her slender arms extended up and out at her sides. She listened to all the pops and creaks of her joints as she rose to her feet. She was halfway through eighteen, but some days her body felt about forty. She wondered if her time in the Feudal era was behind the premature body aches. Or maybe it was just all the sleeping on the ground. Kagome yawned lethargically. Rin had stopped playing and was now watching Kagome intently.

"Is it time to go back to Jaken and Ah Un now?" Rin inquired enthusiastically. Her innocent question was followed by a loud gurgling growl from her belly.

"You mean time to go make dinner?" Kagome laughed as the girl put a hand to her rumbling stomach, a sheepish smile on her face. The sun was beginning to descend in the sky, and a peachy pink color was starting to crawl over the horizon. "I guess it's probably about time to go back to camp and get you something to eat. Sesshomaru should probably be back sometime soon anyway. Maybe he'll even be there before us."

Rin grinned up at Kagome happily and thrust her small hand into Kagome's. Kagome returned her smile and gave the girl's hand a loving squeeze. As they walked, hand in hand, back to their encampment, both females silently hoped the Demon Lord would indeed return safely to them soon.

x.X.x

By the time the silver-haired inuyoukai returned, the luminous stars were heavy in the sky, and Rin was sleeping soundly. Kagome smiled to herself as she saw him approach, glad that Sesshomaru had returned at last, but her smile quickly faded when she noticed him stagger slightly.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken cried loudly, worry reflected in his grating voice. Kagome shushed him, afraid that he might wake Rin. She knew Sesshomaru would not want to worry the young girl with his weakened state.

"Sesshomaru-sama," Kagome murmured, also worried, her brows furrowing in concern. She rushed to the wounded demon to tend to him. The inuyoukai was bleeding heavily from the left shoulder, a small comfort to Kagome as his remaining arm was on the opposite side of his injury. He let out a dangerously low growl as she placed a supportive arm around him to help him stand upright and steady.

"I am not so weak and pathetic that I need the assistance of a mortal woman," he berated her angrily. He couldn't believe the nerve of her, trying to assist him as though he was some feeble human. "I did not anticipate the demon's strength. It is a mistake I will not make again. Do not concern yourself with me. I will be fine by morning light."

"You are wounded," Kagome chided him in exasperation, ignoring his protests. It was the most interesting thing that had happened since the ordeal with the lizard demon, a thought that immediately evoked guilty feelings from the woman. She didn't want anyone getting hurt just to liven up her day. "Whether you like it or not I am going to be concerned. I know…you big, strong demons heal quickly, but please, humor me."

The demon lord was silent. Again he did not know how to respond to the female. Should he be offended because she appeared to believe he needed her aid and seemed to even be mocking him, or should he appreciate her concern for him? He decided to ignore his annoyance and her apparent lack of courtesy and at least attempt to appreciate her unnecessary kindness. It was in her nature to be caring, a fact he had determined from watching her interact with Rin.

From where she stood, the clean, floral scent of her hair drifted underneath his nose in waves, distracting him from his irritation with her and the pain of his wound. He could feel her pressing her curves firmly against his side as she guided him to a large tree, and he suddenly felt glad of her company. He didn't need her to help him get settled for the night, but she relaxed him, and so he allowed it. In fact, almost everything from the scent of her skin to the lilt of her voice, even just the sound of her soft breathing was soothing to the Demon Lord. That was with the exception of her constant and incredibly vexing curiosity.

"So, what sort of demon managed to land such a blow?" she asked, sitting him down against the tree. Carefully, she pulled at the top of his haori, causing it to slip off his well-formed shoulder, exposing part of his chest and his wound for her inspection. Kagome tried very hard to stay focused on his injury and not the way the muscles of his chest moved under his pale skin as he breathed. Whatever he was fighting managed to puncture a gaping hole through his shoulder, and she was curious to know how the seemingly invincible Sesshomaru acquired such a wound.

"It is of no consequence since my opponent is no longer among the living," he replied succinctly, finding himself annoyed by her question. Kagome bit her tongue. She did not want to vex him anymore. "Why are you wasting your time with this scratch? I told you I will be fine in the morning."

"Scratch? Hah! You sound just like Inuyasha. Just be quiet, and let me take care of you," Kagome ordered him sternly, quickly becoming frustrated with the sudden distance between them. But, as soon as the words rolled off her tongue, Kagome regretted them. She knew he would overreact to being compared to the hanyou.

"How dare you speak to me in such a manner," Sesshomaru almost roared, stung by her comparison of him to his lowly half-breed brother. Her impudence was already bothersome enough, now she was insulting him outright? It was clear he had been much too kind to the woman and entirely too tolerant of her lack of respect toward him and his superior status.

"I didn't mean that to be insulting," she replied softly, miffed by the sudden show of the Youkai Lord's temper. It was becoming difficult for her to fight back tears. His sudden angry outburst was so reminiscent of Inuyasha and his complete lack of patience or verbal restraint. "I'm finished," she stated, gathering up a first aid kit her mother had insisted she take back to the Fuedal era during her visit home and distancing herself far from the irritated youkai. They exchanged no more words that night, as Kagome had found she was suddenly disinterested in discussing an arrangement to visit with her friends. If he seemed more approachable in the morning, she would consider asking, but tonight she would leave him alone with his pride.


	9. Awkward Conversation

**A/N: Enjoy!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

Sesshomaru was now resting comfortably against the sizeable tree that Kagome had led him to earlier that night. He could feel his wounds beginning to mend, and the pain in his shoulder was greatly relieved. But, he hadn't really paid much mind to his discomfort to begin with. He was too busy spending his night contemplating the young priestess and her bewildering actions. She had degraded him in the most unthinkable manner, but her insults appeared to be unintentional. She did not show any remorse for her thoughtless comment and, instead, seemed angry with him for his reaction. For a moment, he almost felt guilty for snapping at her, but, the more he thought about her comment, the more that feeling had quickly faded.

He also found her persistence interesting. He had told her he was fine, but she insisted on aiding him, despite his protests and her own admission to possessing the knowledge that her ministrations were pointless. She even continued tending to his wound after he provoked her anger. He could not help but wonder why. She was completely baffling.

He watched Kagome as she slept soundly next to Rin. She stirred causing strands of ebony hair fall to across her ivory face. She was indeed lovely, not that it mattered to him. He found himself torn between suppressing such tender thoughts, and allowing them to permeate his mind. They seemed to be occurring more and more frequently, but he still had not managed to come to terms with them. Something in him, presumably the part that despised humanity, would not allow him to surrender his basest of desires. Keeping Rin as a companion was distasteful, but it was at least acceptable. Actually lusting and maybe even developing romantic feelings for a human woman was not.

As he continued to observe the slumbering woman, Sesshomaru suddenly realized something about the sleeping young woman; something he hoped was of actual significance. Not once had she called out for Inuyasha since their private discourse in the forest. It was almost as if their talk had put her at ease. He found it strange. Maybe he should discuss this change with her, just to determine if his theory was correct. But, what would he say to her? He often longed to talk with her, but there was never a subject he deemed worthy of discussion, and he really wasn't one for inane chatter. Even if there was something, he wasn't certain he would ever be able to find the words.

Kagome began to stir as the soft tendrils of morning light that poured over the horizon fell upon her face, causing her to wake. A soulful pair of sleep-riddled eyes could almost make out hazy pink clouds that appeared to be painted onto the glowing orange skyline off in the distance. Languidly, the woman sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes surveying the morning campsite. The young girl next to her was also starting to wake, but had yet to do so completely, and the inuyoukai, who was resting in the exact spot she had left him the evening prior, had his golden eyes fixed on her.

"Morning," she greeted, smiling at the Demon Lord lethargically through half-opened eyes. The softer parts of him adored her easy affability. She rose clumsily and moved to sit next to him. "How's your shoulder feeling?"

"Fine," he replied concisely. Wordlessly, she set about tending to his shoulder. The Youkai Lord remained still, not even bothering to turn his head to watch the girl who was treating his wound needlessly. It had not yet healed completely, so she began to clean it and replace the bandage.

Kagome wasn't certain whether the Demon Lord was being his usual tacit self or if he was still upset with her. She yawned quietly, her eyes watering a bit.

_'Guess I should just ask him and get it over with. There probably isn't ever going to be a perfect time to say something,' _Kagome reasoned internally, trying to fight another drowsy yawn.

"Sesshomaru, I was wondering," she started while she retied the bandages around his shoulder, "would you mind if I went and visited my friends for a short while? I really miss them."

He stiffened, momentarily stunned with apprehension. Had he angered her so much that she needed time away from him? Had she decided to renew her affections for the mutt? Why was he worrying about such trivial matters to begin with? He stayed silent for a long while, pondering the multitude of panicked thoughts racing through his usually composed mind.

"You are aware that they will most likely be in the company of Inuyasha, correct?" he asked finally, hoping she would immediately realize her lack of desire to interact with the half-breed. She nodded furrowing her brows, bewilderment adorning her charming face.

"Why would that matter?" she inquired ingenuously. "I know I said I needed time away from him, but I don't plan on staying with them long."

"He does not deserve your affection… Nor your tears," he said in a reply that only managed to confuse her more. Now he was spouting encouraging garbage that made him sound almost envious of his half-brother. What was this power this petite human woman held over him? Whatever it was, it was driving the Demon Lord crazy.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," she admitted honestly. Sesshomaru was becoming even more of a mystery to the young woman. One moment he was dismissing her as though she was nothing, and the next, he was worrying for her feelings. "I really only want to visit with Sango and Shippo, and possibly Miroku," she added as an afterthought. "I know Inuyasha will most likely be with them, and seeing him again will probably be difficult, but it would be nice to know how he is doing. He is still my friend too, after all."

"It is of no consequence," Sesshomaru remarked casually, in an attempt to back pedal covertly. What was he doing showing his concern for the girl? He really was weak just as his father before him was. "You may go…on one condition," he paused a moment waiting for her to protest or make a nuisance of herself in some other way, but she remained wordless. Instead, she stared at him expectantly waiting for his conditions. "You will allow me to accompany you on your traverse. It is dangerous for you to travel alone," he explained noticing the look of surprise that crossed her delicate features. "You will have three days, and then I will return to collect you."

"That's fine with me, but, um, won't that be a huge inconvenience? I really don't want to trouble you. If you would prefer, you could just send me with Ah-Un," she said worriedly. Losing time to search for Naraku might annoy him greatly, and she that was something she really wanted to prevent, as it was all she felt like she ever seemed to do. He really had been very accommodating all things considered, but this was too much.

"It is no inconvenience," he replied ending the conversation. His authoritative tone clearly told Kagome not to protest any further.

The yellow sun blazed high in the sky causing the shadows of the small traveling party to disappear. Although it was too early in the spring for the weather to be uncomfortably warm, Kagome could tell that temperatures were definitely starting to heat up. A slight breeze caused the grass in the meadow to sway gracefully as if it were dancing and frolicked playfully with strands of her raven-hair.

She had bid her farewell to Rin, telling her that she would be back in a short while. The girl was disappointed to hear that she was going away, but soon became her usual happy self again when she heard that Kagome would return in a few days time. As usual, Jaken and Ah-Un were left to care for Rin, which never failed to irritate the toad-like imp.

Their journey would take a day on foot, but Kagome did not mind terribly. She was used to traveling constantly with Inuyasha, and the thought of spending so much time with Sesshomaru, although unnerving, thrilled her a bit. Her feelings for the demon lord had grown considerably since the night he had brushed away her tears under the stars.

Her mind had begun to wander after that night, daydreaming often, sometimes imagining that he had kissed her sweetly or embraced her tightly afterwards. Sometimes she would have dreams where he would realize he loved her and they would spend the night together doing things that made her blush to think about. She realized that she was probably just projecting her feelings for Inuyasha onto Sesshomaru, because she was hurting, and he was the only one that was close. She told herself that they were just rebound fantasies, and she was being incredibly silly. Even still, she couldn't help the butterflies in her stomach as they began their trek back to the village.

They walked in silence for a long while. Kagome was growing increasingly uncomfortable due to the awkwardness. Finally it became too unbearable and she decided to break the stillness surrounding the pair.

"So…Why did you want to come with me?" she asked peering curiously at the tall youkai. She would have been just as safe with Ah-Un as she was with him, and they both knew it. So why was he so insistent on traveling with her? Her inquisition was met with a long pause as the inuyoukai sorted through his thoughts.

"What are your feelings toward my half-brother?" he inquired in earnest, feeling panicked as soon as the question escaped his lips, though his countenance did not betray this. Kagome stared at him for a moment in surprise. It seemed he always seized any moment he could to befuddle her.

"I… I don't really know anymore," she confessed, her tone unsure. She was completely taken aback by his question.

"You no longer call his name in your sleep. In fact, you haven't since we last spoke unaccompanied. Why is this?" the Demon Lord pressed, hungry for more answers from the woman who had somehow managed to completely beguile him.

"Well... I don't really know," she replied, trying, with some difficulty, not to stutter nervously. These questions were strange coming from Sesshomaru. Was he…jealous of Inuyasha? Kagome pushed the thought out of her mind, almost laughing aloud. What an absurd idea!

"Last night when I returned to camp, before you realized I was injured, you smiled when you became aware of my presence. Why?" he continued his queries much to Kagome's dismay. The miko felt like she would die from mortification. What was with the third degree? It seemed completely unlike Sesshomaru to ask such things, or to even think about them for that matter. In fact, it was completely unlike Sesshomaru for him to say much more than three words to her.

"My, you're really inquisitive today," Kagome muttered blushing, fidgeting with the bottom of her shirt. He could sense her embarrassment. Was it possible she had developed feelings for him? Suddenly he found himself filled with the desire to know the answer to that question.

"What are your feelings…toward me?" he queried softly, his curiosity overcoming his reservations.

"Oh…Um...I...I," she stammered, flushing an even deeper shade of crimson. Why was he asking so many personal questions? Kagome didn't want to answer any of them.

Sesshomaru felt almost triumphant. The woman did have feelings for him, after all. Here he was, berating himself constantly, because he couldn't get her out of his mind, and it turned out that she seemingly felt the same way. Then, reality set in, and he found himself chiding himself mentally yet again. He truly was becoming soft like his father by allowing such feelings for a mortal to get the better of him. He couldn't believe that he, Sesshomaru, was being so ridiculous over a woman, let alone a human. What was the world coming to?

They spent the remainder of their trek in silence. Kagome was entirely too embarrassed to say another word, and Sesshomaru had received the answers to the questions that had been plaguing him. Even if she still had some feeling for the hanyou, he was on her mind as well, and Sesshomaru was content with that knowledge. Once they reached the outskirts of Kaede's quaint village, the pair bade an awkward goodbye and separated, both almost dreading the three days apart for one reason or another.


	10. Reunion

**A/N: Another updated chapter!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

Inuyasha sulked glumly in the corner of Kaede's simple hut, half-heartedly watching lively flames dance underneath her kettle full of stew and listening to their jovial crackling. The scent of a hearty meal wafted out of the pot right under his sensitive nose, trying to entice his growling stomach. He inhaled sharply, enjoying the aroma but it wasn't the only scent his nose picked up. He had suddenly detected another smell, one that was incredibly familiar.

"Kagome," he murmured excitedly, exiting the residence hurriedly. His stomach began to do flips. Was she really back, after all this time?

He had spent the past month and a half avoiding the angry and accusing mutterings of Shippo, Sango, and even Miroku. They all seemed to think it was his fault Kagome had run off, and that meant they also thought he was to blame for the fact that they were no longer finding any jewel shards or clues to Naraku's whereabouts. Sure, he cared for Kagome a lot, but he loved Kikyo more. It wasn't his fault that no one but him understood that.

"Damn them all," he cursed under his breath, his thoughts rousing his quick temper. Trying unsuccessful to suppress his irritation, he sniffed the air again. Her scent, clean and flowery, still lingered in the air. Turning in the direction of her smell, he locked eyes with the young priestess and froze. She was leaning lazily against the dead tree outside of Kaede's home as if she had never even been gone.

He stood there silently in surprise staring at her slack-jawed. He was vaguely aware of the sound of children playing in the village and the thick scent of dust that hung heavy in the air. The sun was beginning its descent in the sky, but they sky was still a deep, cloudless azure.

She looked almost ethereal leaning against the deadened tree, which loomed overhead like a black spike protruding cruelly from the ground. Her raven locks framed her pretty face perfectly, curling inwards slightly at the ends, and the short blue pants she was wearing highlighted her long and lean legs. For a moment, the hanyou wasn't sure if she was really there or if the guilt had finally driven him mad, but her scent hung heavy in the air so she had to be real.

"Hello Inuyasha," she almost whispered in salutation, a lazy half-smile playing about her lips. She seemed different to the hanyou in some way. Something about her had definitely changed. The light in her eyes was different, as if she had attained some bit of esoteric wisdom that no one else knew.

"Ka…Kagome," he stuttered in reply, rushing toward her in astonishment. It was an amazing relief to see that she was at least alive. He fought the urge to embrace her, considering the terms on which they parted. "Where have you been? We were all so worried…I went to your time, but your mother said she hadn't seen you. After awhile, we thought that maybe you were…dead…"

He cast his amber eyes downward for a moment, and Kagome could see an enormous amount of remorse reflected in them. It was obvious he felt bad about hurting her. In this moment, Kagome felt an equal guilt for not returning sooner, if only to put the minds of her friends at ease. Her circumstances would have made that difficult, but she was sure that she could have managed it somehow.

"I've been...around," she stated honestly, studying the hanyou's face. He was telling her that he was worried, instead of snapping at her angrily for being gone so long. This was not the angry reception she expected to receive from him. Regardless, she had already knew that he hadn't (and wouldn't ever) changed one bit, while she felt as though she was an entirely different person. It was something that heartbreak could do to a person, and she had never truly realized it up until now.

"You've been around?" he repeated slowly, his anger beginning to flare up. "Yet in a whole month and a half you couldn't stop by to let us know you were alive? What, did you think we wouldn't worry? Did you think we didn't need you around anymore, cos' we sure as hell could have used your help on more than one occasion, since you just up and left us. There you were whining about how selfish Kikyo was, and then you go and pull a stunt like that? Who's the selfish one now? What have you even been doing? Your family was worried sick! How do you think I felt telling them that you were missing?"

"No, I couldn't stop by," she answered softly, her large eyes downcast. She knew it was no more than an excuse, but telling him the truth would be even more difficult. Inuyasha's anger abated as he watched her expression turn melancholy. Whatever had kept her away had to have been difficult for her, and he hadn't realized just how much he had missed her until right now, staring into her expressive brown eyes. Suddenly he couldn't fight it anymore, and he found his arms wrapped tightly around her petite frame.

She felt good against him, small and warm. He could hear her heartbeat speed up as he held her close. It was completely different from holding Kikyo, but it had felt the same long ago. He breathed in the clean scent of her hair. He really had missed her. It was obvious that she had been through some sort of ordeal, and, even if he had chosen Kikyo, he still loved her and wanted to comfort her.

Kagome froze, and tears began to pool in her eyes as a sudden surge of old affections returned. Her pulse began to quicken, and she felt incredibly nauseous like she always did when she was nervous. As she stood completely still, too shocked to return his gesture of affection, Kagome found herself wondering if she might still love him after all or if these were just lingering feelings that she needed to cast away. Even if she did still love him, she probably shouldn't dwell on those feelings anyway. He had already chosen someone else. Her angsty musings were interrupted as the sudden image of Sesshomaru burst into her mind's eye. She felt Inuyasha stiffen as if he knew who she was thinking about.

"Sesshomaru," he growled quietly. He had caught a faint whiff of his older brother's scent on her clothing and rage instantly consumed him. Was he the reason why she couldn't return? Was he responsible for the change in the young woman? "What did he do to you, Kagome?"

"Nothing," she replied hastily. For a moment, she was almost afraid that he had somehow read her mind and now knew where her mind had been, but she quickly realized that he had probably caught the demon lord's scent from her clothes. "He just asked me to travel with him to take care of Rin, the little girl that travels with him."

"Sesshomaru doesn't ASK for anything," Inuyasha stated crossly. This was true. He hadn't exactly asked her to stay. He had commanded it. Not that Kagome minded so terribly much now. "Did he hurt you in any way? He forced you to stay with him, right? I'll kill the bastard if he so much as..."

"No!" Kagome interrupted him in exasperation. "He was very…kind, well as kind as he could be. He saved me from a demon and allowed me to pursue jewel shards. He even let me visit my family for a few days, and now he's letting me stay here for a few days as well."

"Sesshomaru…kind?" Inuyasha snorted derisively. "Yeah, it was real nice of him to try killing you with the windscar that time he managed to steal my tetsusaiga. And I really liked having his hand shoved through my stomach. That was real thoughtful of him."

"Well, you did cut off his arm," she countered meekly, knowing that it was a weak argument. Sesshomaru would've done all those things even if Inuyasha hadn't severed his limb. She had forgotten how cruel Sesshomaru really was. But, he really wasn't at the same time, at least, not to her.

Inuyasha was stunned. She was defending Sesshomaru? What exactly had he done to her? There was more to this than what she was telling him.

"What about before that? He tried killing you at my father's grave site. I guess he was being real kind to you then, huh?" the hanyou spat acerbically. He felt like Kagome, _HIS _Kagome, had been brainwashed. Just a month before she was all crazy over the fact that he didn't love her, and now she was acting like she felt something for his elder half-brother instead. Something was very wrong.

"He's different now. Ever since he started taking care of Rin, he's been different," she said softly. Inuyasha was becoming infuriated, and she knew it. He and Sesshomaru were enemies, and her alliance with the inuyoukai probably felt like a betrayal of friendship. "He has helped us before, and he's also determined to defeat Naraku. Don't be so quick to forget that."

"Feh," Inuyasha grunted in annoyance. He was silent for a moment. "Well, whatever the case, you can't go back with him."

"Then you can be the one to explain that to him!" she retorted angrily. Who was he to tell her what she could and couldn't do? He sounded just like Sesshomaru, ordering her around like that.

"Inuyashaaaa!" called a familiar young voice, disrupting their argument. "The food is done, are you gonna come eat? What are you doing out here any...," the kitsune trailed off seeing Kagome, frozen for a moment. His eyes filled with tears as he bounded into her arms, loudly wailing, "Kagome!"

"Hey Shippo," she replied fighting back tears herself, hugging the young demon tightly. She had missed Shippo terribly and was glad to be reunited with him.

"Come and eat dinner with us!" he cried exuberantly. "Sango and Miroku will be so glad to see that you're back safe and sound!"

He leapt out of her arms and bounded down the dirt path toward Kaede's hut with Kagome following merrily. A surly Inuyasha trailed behind, his thoughts occupied with jealous ideas and feelings of betrayal.

"Lady Kaede! Miroku! Sango! Kagome is back!" the small fox declared excitedly as they entered the hut.

"Kagome!" Sango exclaimed happily, rising to embrace her friend tightly. The look of complete and utter relief on her friend's familiar face made Kagome feel even guiltier than she had before. "We didn't think you were coming back."

"No, we didn't," a jovial Miroku admitted with a sidelong glance at Inuyasha. "But, I'm glad to see you're all right."

"Yes, we were all very worried," Shippo remarked nodding his head in earnest.

"Especially yon Inuyasha," Kaede added with a sage half-smile. Sango and Shippo glared coldly at the hanyou, who stood silent in the doorway. Kagome fidgeted uncomfortably with the bottom hem of her shirt.

"Well," said Miroku hurriedly, acutely aware of the fact that there was some sort of tension between the two. He was guessing that Kagome and Inuyasha had not had a pleasant reunion. "Let's eat. Kagome can tell us everything over dinner."

Kagome gulped nervously. She wasn't certain her friends would be any more understanding than Inuyasha had been, considering their history with the Demon Lord. She didn't even know where to begin. The details were just too personal and embarrassing, and she really didn't want to make Inuyasha look like the bad guy.

"Yes, let us," the aged priestess agreed, also noticing Kagome and Inuyasha's consternation. "I'm sure we are all very curious to know what young Kagome has been doing all this while."


	11. Suspicion

**A/N: Here's another... Enjoy!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

A splash of dazzling morning light poured over the horizon, brightening the lush green of the forested landscape. Outside of Kaede's hut, the dead tree loomed menacingly like a black spike contrasting severely with the lively greenery that seemed to be invading the countryside. High in the tree sat a silver-haired hanyou who was paying no mind to the manner in which the wind teased certain silver strands of his hair. His mind was elsewhere.

_'Why would Sesshomaru wanna keep Kagome around?' _he asked himself silently as he pondered what he had learned from the young priestess over dinner. He suspected that Kagome had left a lot out of her story, but he didn't quite know what. There was no way Sesshomaru would do half the things Kagome had told them about without some sort of hidden intention. _'Just what exactly is he playing at?'_

He really could not think of any reason why his brother should even bother with Kagome. The Sesshomaru he knew would have just left her in the woods to die. There had to be some sort of ulterior motive. The little girl that traveled with him did just fine without Kagome before she came along. So, he could think of nothing his brother would gain from keeping the young woman's company. Sesshomaru had no interest jewel shards, and he didn't believe that Inuyasha and his friends were actually capable of killing Naraku, so his intentions couldn't be to hinder the group. So what the hell did he want?

Slowly, an idea percolated Inuyasha's dense mind. What if his brother wanted to use Kagome to get to him in some way? Kagome had said that the bastard was being kind to her. Sesshomaru wasn't kind to anyone…ever. Maybe he wanted to gain her trust so that he could get to Inuyasha somehow. But how would he go about doing that? The hanyou was simply at a loss. His brother's behavior was completely baffling.

x.X.x

Kagome rose from her slumber early, a habit she had picked up from traveling with Sesshomaru and company. It felt strange to wake up under a roof after becoming so accustomed to sleeping underneath the open sky. It was also strange to know that Sesshomaru was not near. Although he was quite laconic, Kagome had found herself growing fond of the Demon Lord's presence. She found comfort in simply being near him.

She often wondered why this was. They rarely spoke, yet she felt this unbidden attraction to him. Were these feelings a result of Inuyasha's rejection? Was she inadvertently using Sesshomaru to overcome her unrequited love for his half-brother? She hoped this wasn't the case, but she couldn't help being plagued with many doubts and concerns.

Not that it really mattered anyway. Sesshomaru wouldn't ever return her feelings. After all, she was only a human, and he would never stoop to that sort of degradation. Nonetheless, he was kind enough to her and generally much more understanding than Inuyasha. She almost missed him.

A loud, guttural snore interrupted her musings, and she struggled to suppress a giggle. Shippo was sleeping very soundly, sprawled out unceremoniously upon his bedding. Kagome smiled to herself. As strange as it felt to be without Sesshomaru, it really was nice to be with her friends again.

She had really wished to confide in Sango, but with the excitement of her sudden return, there hadn't been any time for that. The things she wanted to tell Sango, she could never say in front of anyone else. So she had carefully answered all the questions she had been bombarded with to the best of her ability.

Her thoughts turned to the previous night's conversation. All of them were so curious for an explanation of her whereabouts, and they had definitely been shocked to find out that she had been traveling with Sesshomaru. They were also very surprised and disappointed to hear that she planned to continue traveling with him, but they were all as understanding as they could be, except, of course, for Inuyasha.

"Why would you wanna stay with him after all that?" he had demanded scathingly. She had left out their private conversations for personal reasons, so none of her friends truly understood her reasoning, but only Inuyasha had distrusted her judgment enough to voice his opinions."We need you more than he does 'cos none of us can see the shards. He doesn't want them, and you're more useful as a shard detector than a playmate for some stupid kid. Anyway, we're supposed to be your friends."

She couldn't believe he referred to her a 'shard detector' after the last conversation they had. Kami, he was infuriating! She was certain he had only said it to hurt her feelings, maybe in retaliation, because she was hurting his feelings by choosing Sesshomaru's company over his. Or maybe it was because she left him in the first place. She couldn't be certain of his reasoning, but she was positive he meant for her to feel insulted.

Deciding she needed some fresh air, Kagome carefully wended her way through the sleeping bodies lying on the floor and exited Kaede's residence. She found Inuyasha perched on a sturdy limb of the lifeless tree outside of the old priestess's home bathed in the golden glow of early morning light. Somehow Kagome had known he would be there.

"Morning," she greeted him with a lazy smile. It would do no good to stir up any more conflict, so she settled on trying to be friendly. An expression of confusion was etched on his face, but his features relaxed when he noticed Kagome. "Whatcha doing up there?"

"What's it look like I'm doing?" he asked, rather rudely, in reply. She rolled her eyes at him, and the smile faded from her face. She found herself suddenly wondering why she had spent so much time pining over him when he had always treated her this way.

_'And he's already back to being a jerk, or should I say his normal self?' _she thought to herself with a soft sigh. She had already known it would be expecting too much from him if she thought her disappearance would convince him to treat her more courteously, but she had secretly hoped it would make some kind of difference.

"Never mind," she muttered in exasperation. She was hoping to have a good conversation with him, for once, but, of course, was sadly disappointed. Without a word she turned and stalked off in annoyance through the long, swaying grass toward the God Tree. It was the one place that she always felt totally at peace, even before meeting Inuyasha.

"Wait, Kagome!" he called after her, leaping to the ground adroitly and following the raven-haired woman. "Don't run off on me again."

"That's a hell of a thing to say!" Kagome retorted acrimoniously, spinning around violently to face him, her dark eyes flashing with rage. She was so angry that she didn't even care about her slip of tongue. It was atypical for such a word to escape her lips, and it managed to halfway stun the hanyou. He blinked his surprised golden eyes at her a few times before the shock wore off.

"What do you mean by that?" he demanded, finally recovering, his brows furrowed in annoyance. She was angry with him, after everything she had put him through over the last almost two months? She had no idea how many sleepless nights she had caused him, and she had effectively halted his crusade for revenge against Naraku, but _she_ was angry with _him_? So maybe he had hurt her feelings, broken her heart or whatever, but he wasn't the only one that screwed up here.

"You have no right to accuse me of running off, when you are just as guilty of it yourself. You're the one who always insisted on running off on me to chase after Kikyo," Kagome nearly shouted. She couldn't believe the nerve of him! It was his fault she had run off, always leading her on and then choosing Kikyo right after. He'd get insanely jealous of Koga, take care of her when she was sick and give her all kinds of reasons to hope that, in the end, it would be her, and then he'd tell her that it never would be. And, to top it off, he'd go back to making her hope and then chase after Kikyo again and again. There was only so much heartbreak a person could take before they snapped.

"At least I always had the decency to come back," Inuyasha rejoined under his breath. Kagome fought the overwhelming urge to utter the words, 'sit boy.' She was better than that. She had grown up enough to no longer use the phrase vindictively, no matter how trying the hanyou was. He, on the other hand, hadn't grown up at all.

"Excuse me? I think the only reason you ever came back was, because Kikyo never asked you to stay with her," she snapped irately. She was so frustrated that hot tears were beginning to sting the corners of her eyes, and Inuyasha could smell the salt of them. That was all he needed, for her to start crying and guilt him into feeling bad.

"You know, it doesn't matter. I couldn't care less what you choose to do with your time, but Sesshomaru is up to something. I can feel it in my gut. So don't you get too comfortable around him," he spat acerbically. "If I were you, I wouldn't trust the bastard as far as I could throw him. Which, in your case, isn't very far," he added derisively before leaping into a nearby tree and disappearing.

Kagome was livid. She continued to her destination in agitation, stomping her feet like an angry child, her mind on Inuyasha's remark. Who was he to go around slinging accusations for no reason? But…Could Sesshomaru really be up to something? No...Inuyasha's suspicion was completely unwarranted. It was obvious that it stemmed from his extreme dislike of his elder brother. But, it could be possible. Sesshomaru was perfectly capable of being conniving and manipulative, but would his honor allow him sink that low? And if he really did have something up his sleeve, what could she possibly have to do with it? She thrust the thoughts from her mind, becoming irritated with the hanyou all over again.

She slumped gracelessly against the coarse bark God Tree vexed beyond measure, her mind racing. The morning air was even cooler in the shade of the large overhanging branches, but she was too preoccupied to notice the goosebumps rising along the milky flesh of her arms and legs. Inuyasha was the only person, except for maybe Jaken, who could annoy her this far beyond measure.

Abruptly she realized why Inuyasha's accusations made her so angry. His claims were causing her unquestioning trust in the Demon Lord to falter. His argument had substance, a fact that bothered her more than anything. She had allowed her infatuation with Sesshomaru to cloud her judgement. She held him in a favorable light, knowing almost nothing save the fact that had attempted to kill her and her friends on more than one occasion, because she had a crush. Talk about following someone blindly.

Even still, she couldn't help but feel some affection toward him. He was so sweet with Rin, and Kagome was sure he wasn't doing that for her benefit. And, really, what was it that he had to gain from keeping her company? It was completely possible that Inuyasha was wrong as well. Only time would tell.


	12. Kaede's Advice

**A/N: Hope you like!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

As the blazing orange sun began to sink low in the sky, Kagome felt a little disappointed that her first of only three short days with her friends was coming to a close. She had spent her day catching up with Sango, Miroku and Shippo and helping them with daily mundane tasks and chores.

After spending some alone time underneath the ancient God Tree recovering from her argument with Inuyasha, Kagome had returned to the village in a more peaceful state of mind. She spent the rest of her morning by the river with Sango, washing laundry as Shippo frolicked merrily in the water nearby. She had finally been able to engage in a confidential conversation with Sango, after such a long time wishing for her friend. Her mind wandered back to their conversation.

"He actually asked you if you were happy with him?" Sango had asked dumbfounded. Kagome had nodded, biting her lip, starting to feel a bit embarrassed.

"He also brushed away one of my tears, at least, I think he did. That night's sort of hazy now. It almost feels like a dream," Kagome had replied, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink.

"Are you sure it wasn't?" Sango asked, her brown eyes wide in disbelief. "I don't mean to rude, but that's definitely not the Sesshomaru I know."

"Well that was nothing compared to the incredibly embarrassing conversation we had on the way here," Kagome replied chuckling nervously as she busied herself, scrubbing at a stubborn stain.

"Wait, are you saying he walked you here?" Sango exclaimed completely taken aback. She really couldn't believe her ears.

"That's not even the half of it," Kagome had continued, still feeling a bit shy. "He started asking me all these personal questions like if I still loved Inuyasha and then he asked me how I felt about him. It was pretty bizarre."

"Well how do you feel about him?" Sango asked, curiosity overwhelming her. Kagome flushed a deep shade of red. "Oh no, Kagome, you don't actually…like him, do you?"

"Well, I don't know, really," Kagome squeaked meekly unable to look Sango directly in the eyes. "He's so different from how I used to think he was. He's so good with Rin, always so worried about keeping her happy and safe. It's kind of endearing."

"Kagome!" Sango gasped in scandalized shock. "You do like him! I hate to sound like I'm not happy for you, but I hope you're not actually expecting anything from him. You'll end up more disappointed and heartbroken than you have been with Inuyasha. Sesshomaru hates humans. I don't understand why he keeps the little girl around, but I'm betting you're only around for her. He's probably only being nice for her benefit."

"Yeah, you're probably right," Kagome mumbled glumly. "I wasn't expecting anything anyway. I already knew how crazy it sounds."

"Well it sounds like he's giving you reasons to feel the way you do, but it's probably not intentional," Sango replied matter-of-factly. "Most demons don't understand human emotions very well. I'm sorry Kagome; I'm only saying this because I care about you. I'm not trying to hurt your feelings."

Kagome had known Sango would feel this way, but it felt nice just talking about it to someone. Sango was probably right anyway, but for some reason she still felt incredibly disappointed. She was relieved when Shippo accidentally splashed them and interrupted their conversation.

Surprised by the chilly water, Kagome let out a squeak then cracked a devilish grin. She cupped her hands and scooped some of the freezing water into them and splashed both Shippo and Sango, soaking them both. They had wasted the rest of the morning playing in the water and soaking each other thoroughly with freezing river water all while giggling like schoolgirls before they ran to dry off and warm their shivering bodies by the fire in Kaede's hut.

Her afternoon, which she had been hoping to spend peacefully, had been spent with Miroku, at his request. It was a request Kagome found she was initially suspicious of, given the monk's lecherous habits. As it turned out, he had been very curious about Sesshomaru and her travels with him. It quickly became quite clear that he had either been talking to Inuyasha or at least had the same line of thought as the hanyou.

He had been very inquisitive about the Demon Lord and his habits. Eventually Kagome had become so frustrated and annoyed that she had snapped at him and stalked off in annoyance. The monk, realizing he had been pushing buttons he should've let be, had been smart enough to leave her alone about Sesshomaru after that.

She probably should have had more patience with him, but her argument with Inuyasha that morning had left her sore about the subject. He probably didn't realize that his prodding would elicit such a response from her; after all, Sango was the only one who truly knew her feelings about the Demon Lord and her situation with him. It was natural for him, as her friend, to worry about her.

She hadn't seen Inuyasha at all after their fight, but she didn't mind terribly. She was still upset with him for his behavior that morning. Instead she spent the rest of her afternoon with Shippo. They decided to go pick herbs in the woods for Lady Kaede. The fox kit had babbled incessantly, so happy to see his friend again. After awhile of talking about everything he had done while she was gone, Shippo's face had fallen.

"So, you're really not going to stay with us?" Shippo asked, pouting cutely.

"I'm sorry, Shippo, but I can't. Sesshomaru would be upset if I didn't go back to take care of Rin. Anyway, you're eleven now. You're almost a man now. You don't need me to take care of you anymore," Kagome had replied soothingly. The kit had grown taller and his face was starting to change, his features becoming a little more grown up.

"Yeah, but I still miss you. Maybe when I'm grown up, I'll be strong enough to rescue you from Sesshomaru, and then you could come back with us," he exclaimed exuberantly. Kagome chuckled patting the kitsune on the head good-naturedly.

"You won't need to do that, Shippo," she laughed, her eyes gleaming happily. "Once Naraku is defeated and the Shikon jewel is whole again, I'll make my wish and go home. I'll be normal again, and you will get to grow up and find a girl and take care of her."

"You mean you'll never come back again after all that?" he queried, his eyes starting to fill with tears.

"I really don't know Shippo. I don't really know how it all works, but whatever happens, we will always be friends," she had added. This seemed to pacify the kitsune a little, but Kagome could tell he was glum now. He didn't want her to leave him, now or ever.

Now she sat alone, leaning back on her arms, the long grass beneath her legs tickling her delicate skin as she admired the beauty of the rosy sunset. Everyone else seemed to have some sort of chore to attend to, or they were just avoiding her so they were free to talk amongst themselves about her new situation. It really didn't matter to her. Behind her, she heard the soft rustle of clothing and lazily looked back behind her to see who had decided to accompany her.

"Hello Kaede," she greeted the old priestess warmly with a smile.

"Good evening, young Kagome. Mayhap ye would consent to aiding this old woman in preparing dinner for tonight? I do not wish to attend to the task alone," the old woman explained.

"Sure," she replied beaming broadly and rising to her feet. Kagome had always enjoyed cooking. It was a relaxing activity, and she was sure it would keep her mind off of the behavior her friends were displaying due to her situation.

The two women prepared the meal in silence, Kagome chopping vegetables carefully and Kaede stirring the stew she was concocting occasionally. It was monotonous work, but it kept the younger priestess's mind occupied. The elder priestess sighed slightly as she stirred. It seemed she also had something to say to Kagome.

"Kagome, child, yon Inuyasha," she began, pointing outside of the quaint hut, "has been quite worried over ye. Perhaps ye should forgive him and make amends. After all, he cannot help himself."

"Right now I think he feels I'm the one who should be on the receiving end of the forgiving," she replied, annoyed with the unwanted advice. She had forgotten how nosy her friends could be. "Traipsing around the Feudal Era with his half-brother and sworn enemy doesn't sit well with him. He seems to think I am foolish for trusting Sesshomaru."

"I know not what has transpired between yon Demon Lord and ye, but Inuyasha does have a point. His interest in ye is sudden, and I like it not. Still, methinks ye should trust your own judgement," Kaede admitted sagely. "If ye see no harm in traversing with him, then do so. But do not forget your responsibilities. It was ye who shattered the jewel, and ye are the only one who can repair it. It is natural to be angry with Inuyasha for his indecision, but do not lose sight of what is important."

_'What truly is important?'_ Kagome wanted to ask, but she bit her tongue lest she sound foolish. She wished she knew. Yes, defeating Naraku and completing the jewel were both important, but didn't her feelings matter too? No one could expect her to want to stay around a jerk like Inuyasha for too long. The guy couldn't even decide who he wanted to be with, constantly squabbling with Koga over her and subjecting to her to all his jealous tirades one minute and then running off to Kikyo's rescue the next. After three years of constant indecision, she had had enough. She sighed in exasperation. Why did everything in life have to be so difficult?

"It is not my intention to exasperate ye. I only wished to remind ye of the duties ye must attend to. It is merely this old woman's wish to see an end to the suffering both Naraku and the Shikon No Tama have wrought before my short time in this world comes to an end."

Kagome smiled warmly at the old woman. She was so selfless and wise; everything a priestess ought to be. It was no surprise that she was loved so well by the villagers.

"I think that I will be more focused if I continue my travels with Sesshomaru. He wants Naraku dead as much as we do, and he is less of a distraction for me than Inuyasha. Inuyasha is detrimental to my duties, because I have feelings for him. I'm sure you understand what I mean, Lady Kaede."

"Aye, child, I do." she replied. Kagome studied the wrinkles in the old woman's wizened face for a moment and found understanding reflected in every line of her face. "I am sure ye will do what is best."

They left their conversation at that and finished cooking the stew, which was now emitting a savory aroma that was making Kagome's stomach growl, in silence. Somehow Kagome felt more at peace with herself and her situation. Her friends had the right to worry for her, after all, what kind of friends would they be if they didn't? But, as Kaede said, she should trust her own judgment. Ultimately, who knew the situation better than she did? They had not experienced the things that she had. All they knew was what they had seen from Sesshomaru, and such things were surely not a comfort to them. If they could not accept her decision, so be it. Kagome was going to do what she felt was right. Not just for everyone else, but for herself as well. She was so tired of being so self-sacrificing. For once, she was going to do something to make herself happy.


	13. Go Home To Your Own Time, Kagome: Take 2

**A/N: Ugh! This chapter is almost annoying to me, but it had to be done..**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

It was finally day three of her stay with her friends. Kagome could not quash the butterflies that seemed to be performing aerial stunts in her stomach. He was going to be there that evening, and she could not wait. As sad as she was to leave her friends behind, she was also incredibly excited to see Sesshomaru. She really had missed the Demon Lord terribly.

Kagome was sure she was letting her infatuation with Sesshomaru get the better of her, but it didn't matter. She already knew that her silly fantasy would never come to fruition, so why even worry about it? Anything was better than pining pathetically over the two-timing hanyou. At least Sesshomaru actually treated her decently, and his air of nobility didn't hurt. There were worse guys to daydream about.

The humid afternoon was unusually quiet, with the exception of the chattering birds, calling to one another stridently. She was sitting out in the grass in front of Kaede's village, enjoying the warm rays of sunlight that poured from the blue sky. She loved the spring weather. Soon the cherry trees would be blossoming. That was her favorite part of spring. The pink flower-covered trees were so beautiful. She fidgeted lackadaisically with a long blade of grass as her wandering thoughts ran away with her.

Her friends still seemed to be avoiding her, like they had the night before. They were up to something. Kagome was sure of it. She could see Inuyasha watching her intently from a distant tree. His silver hair stuck out like a sore thumb, glistening brightly in the sunlight. She did not know where Miroku and Sango had gone to, but it didn't really matter to her at this point. The Youkai Lord would soon be there to take her back to Rin, and her life would return to what had become her new normal. Yawning languorously, she realized she hadn't even seen Shippo and wondered if the innocent kit was in on whatever the rest of her friends were scheming as well.

No sooner had the thought of the small kitsune crossed her mind, the diminutive fox demon bounced exuberantly into her lap. He was beaming furiously as he snuggled into her lap. He sat still a second, and then squirmed into a position in which he could see her face.

"Geez Shippo, you sure are excited," Kagome stated smiling softly as she gently brushed a red strand of his bangs from his still chubby face.

"Kagome, will you come to the well with me?" he entreated, cutely, staring at her with wide green eyes.

"The Bone Eater's well? Why would you want to go over there?" she inquired, furrowing her brows and frowning in mild surprise. Was this part of a plan that her friends had concocted to prevent her from going back to Sesshomaru later that day? She knew they were all loath to see her go, but they couldn't sink so low as to involved the young kitsune could they.

"Well, I know I'm not supposed to, but I was playing over there and I found something. I don't know what it is though, and I wanted to show you to see if you did. Will you pleeeease come with me and let me show you?" he begged sweetly, sticking his lip out a bit as if to pout.

"All right," Kagome agreed deciding that it was just innocent curiosity. She was being overly suspicious. Her friends were just distancing themselves to be prepared for her departure. That was why they weren't around.

"Yay!" the kitsune squealed excitedly, bouncing energetically to his feet and grabbing Kagome's hand tightly. To Kagome, it felt as though he was practically dragging her to the well. But, Kagome saw no strange object or anything that looked out of place at all, except for an agitated Inuyasha sitting on the edge of the well. He was fidgeting uncomfortably with bright red sleeves of his haori, his golden eyes fixated on the ground.

Suddenly, the small hand grasping hers disappeared, and she was left alone with the hanyou. He rose to his feet as if he were about to approach her, but then sat down again. Kagome's eyes fixed onto a small blue butterfly fluttering lazily through the warm air. She felt nervous, but not the kind that left butterflies in her stomach. It was almost a nauseous feeling that bubbled deep in the pit of her stomach, like she was dreading the upcoming dialogue between Inuyasha and her.

"Look Kagome," he began more gruffly than he intended. He watched her flinch slightly and cleared his throat nervously. "I'm sorry. I know I've said it before, but Kagome, look at me. I really am sorry."

Slowly she turned her chocolate gaze from the floating insect to his amber eyes. He looked so sincere, so contrite. She felt her stomach tighten, the nausea worsening. Something felt wrong, really wrong. What was happening right now? Why did she feel like running away? Her feet remained firmly rooted in place.

"I realize that my feelings for Kikyo hurt you. I do care for you, too. But it would be unfair to you if I tried to move on before I was ready. I don't want to constantly compare you to her, because you aren't the same. I know better than anyone how different you both are. And you know what? It hurts me too, to know that I'm making you feel that way. I just don't know what to do," he admitted ruefully, rubbing his arm sheepishly. He looked away from her, his eyes downcast.

Her eyes began to tear up with emotion. She did not want to hear those words, not right now. She was working so hard to cast away her feelings for him, and here he was dragging them back out into the open, making her face them once again. She tried so hard to fight them, but she couldn't. She really did love him, as insensitive and selfish as he was. She probably always would. Oh kami, why couldn't he just be a jerk right now? He was making things too hard.

"Inuyasha," she muttered softly, not know what else to say. Instinctively she moved closer to him and leaning up against the well, she put a caring hand on his shoulder her gaze focused upon his amber eyes. She didn't want him to hurt on her account.

"Kagome, what do you want me to do to convince you to stay?" he pleaded his eyes searching hers hopefully. She recoiled, pulling her hand away from him abruptly. She realized that this 'confession' of his wasn't brought on by any feeling he had for her. It was his jealousy of Sesshomaru and desire for the jewel shards and Naraku's defeat that gave him his reasons for wanting her to stay. His contrition wasn't real.

Kagome knew he had some feelings for her, that much was obvious, but she also knew that he didn't want her to stay with him because of those feelings. Had he said something, anything, different, he would've had her. She would've stayed. But that last question made her realize his true desires and suddenly images of his half-brother were clouding her vision once again. He only wanted her around to take care of his young ward, but at least he was honest and up front about it. Inuyasha could not even be that. He toyed with her emotions, led her on and then rejected her. She was remembering why her affections had transferred from one brother to the next.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha, but it's too late for this. I don't feel the same way about you as I used to," she stated, fighting back tears of anger, sorrow and, most of all, relief. She had finally said what she needed to say. Yes, she still loved him, and yes, she always would, but know she knew. She knew he would never be any good for her. She would always be second, and she needed to be first.

"Too late? Kagome, it's never too late," he exclaimed grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her into an embrace. It reminded Kagome of that night she watched him do the very same thing with Kikyo. That was the night she ran away. She found that she needed to get away from him once again. The tears she was fighting so hard to hold back now poured freely from her soulful eyes.

"Yes, Inuyasha, it is," she replied trying desperately to push him away, but it was to no avail. The hanyou held on even tighter. She wanted to hit him, tell him to sit, something, anything to make him let go of her, but she couldn't. She was crying so hard.

"Then I'm sorry," he whispered into her ear, and the feeling of his arms around her disappeared along with the feeling of the ground beneath her feet. She was so stunned she instantly ceased her crying. She was vaguely aware of the feel of wind rushing through her hair and passing her ears loudly as she tried to make sense of what was happening. A flare of purplish light sprung from the ground, and Kagome realized that she was falling. He had thrown her back into her own era for the second time, and this time she was sure she was stranded there forever.

She did not wear any shards around her neck any longer. The ones she had collected with Inuyasha and her friends were in Kaede's hut, and the two she had collected while traveling with Sesshomaru had been left with him, so that she wouldn't have to worry about Inuyasha taking them from her. They were a necessity if she wanted to visit her family. She inwardly moaned. What was she to do? Now she would never see either brother again.

Unable to accept this fact Kagome rose to her feet and climbed the out of the old, moldy smelling well. Then she turned around and leapt back into it. Nothing happened. She rose and tried again and again, until, finally, she landed the wrong way and found herself on the ground sobbing uncontrollably. She began digging through the dirt frantically, the most soil pulling her fingernails away from the nail bed painfully as it became lodged beneath the nail. She dug until she couldn't dig through her sobs any longer. Not only was she stuck in her era unable to get back to the Feudal Era, but now she was filthy and positive that she had sprained her ankle.

_'What a day,'_ she thought to herself as she struggled to climb out of the well, wincing every time she jostled her ankle. She limped to her house with thoughts of hot baths and motherly condolences prancing through her distressed mind. She could only hope that Sesshomaru meant what he said when he told her he would come for her. Maybe he really could get through the well with a jewel shard, after all, Inuyasha had been able to pass through it.

She paused as she reached her house and stared at her reflection in the sliding glass door for a moment. Her tear streaked face was covered with dirt, and her eyes were swollen and red. She looked like a wreck. As she threw open the sliding glass irritably causing it to thud loudly against the frame, Kagome decided that she was never going to forgive Inuyasha for this…ever.


	14. Confrontation

**A/N: Enjoy!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

"I still say that was a little harsh," Sango stated curtly, stepping neatly out from behind tall bushes wedged between two trees a short distance from the clearing in which the Bone Eater's Well resided. Her exotic eyes were narrowed in dissatisfaction at the hanyou.

"I agree with you, Sango," Miroku remarked also extricating himself from another group of nearby bushes, "but, I believe it may have been necessary."

"It's not like I'm not gonna go back and get her when everything is sorted out," Inuyasha declared in annoyance. He did have every intention of bringing her back, but he wouldn't do until after she had a good long while to contemplate her rash actions. "So quit pestering me about it. I just want to know exactly what it is that damn Sesshomaru wants from her. He's obviously done something to her. No one would want to stay with that cold-hearted bastard by choice."

"You'd better go and get her after this," Shippo piped in indignantly, glaring daggers at Inuyasha. "I know this is for her protection, but I hated tricking her like that."

Guilt was written all over his young face. Inuyasha had been such a jerk, bullying him into tricking poor Kagome. He really hadn't wanted any part in their scheme at all. The kitsune hoped desperately that she would forgive him for being part of the adult's dishonest plan.

"We all did, Shippo," Miroku replied soothingly. He also felt a twinge of guilt, but he knew Kagome would forgive such an indiscretion after they apologized and explained their immense concern for her safety. She obviously wasn't thinking clearly, especially not with what Sango had told him. It had been bad enough that, even though Kagome had told the Demon Slayer about her feelings for Sesshomaru in confidence, she reluctantly repeated the miko's words to Miroku out of worry. He had not, however, shared the information with Inuyasha. He imagined the conversation between the hanyou and the miko would have proceeded quite differently if he had.

"So, are you sure she has no shard to come back with?" Inuyasha demanded. Miroku reached inside his sleeve and pulled out a small glass bottle. Inside were seven gleaming purple shards.

"Yes, Inuyasha, we're sure. We searched her belongings several times," the monk replied rolling his eyes in exasperation. It was, after all, the monk's plan they had been following. There was no way he could mess up his part in it.

x.X.x

Hidden in a small copse of swaying trees, a particular demon lord watched the small party intently. He had smelled Kagome's tears and hurried to identify the source of the problem, but now he found that her scent had all together disappeared from the area. He stood there silently wondering what his brother had done to her and contemplating his plan of action. Anytime now, the hanyou would catch his scent, and there was sure to be a confrontation once that happened.

Instead of returning to his ward and vassals, Sesshomaru had stayed nearby to watch the priestess carefully. Prior experience had taught him that he could not trust the mutt with her safety, and now he knew that his instincts had been correct. He found himself becoming even more upset that not only did the half-breed fail to protect her, it was the hanyou that she really needed protection from. He had already broken her heart, and Sesshomaru had just allowed her to return to Inuyasha only to permit him to betray her trust in him once again.

Again, he found himself wondering why it even mattered to him. Had he really grown so fond of the naive woman? He was destined to end up just like his father if he continued to let her charms get the better of him. He sighed at himself inwardly. Maybe he should leave now and be thankful he was able to be rid of her so easily. He shrugged and turned to go back to Rin. He wasn't sure what he would tell the girl, but he'd figure something out. For some reason, he couldn't get his feet to move forward, and he suddenly found himself feeling, he couldn't put a finger on it…guilty?

x.X.x

Inuyasha paused a moment, then sniffed the air. He caught typical woodsy scents, the bitter smell of tree bark, the rich scent of soil and grass, and countless other natural smells, but his sensitive nose also met with an unnatural scent, Sesshomaru. He was making this easier than Inuyasha had expected him to.

"What? Too good to grace us with your presence, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha sneered hatefully eyeing the trees from which the inuyoukai's distinguishable scent had wafted. The half demon's hand moved instinctively to the sword resting on his hip. He watched as a flutter of white silk and silver hair became his half-brother before his eyes. The hanyou's fiery glare met his brother's icy gaze, and his grip tightening around the hilt of his tetsusaiga, waiting impatiently to draw it.

"What have you done with the priestess?" the demon lord inquired, seemingly nonchalant. He could smell the woman all over Inuyasha's clothing. They had been embracing. The thought sent a nauseous wave of jealous rage throughout his entire being. His mutt of a half brother wasn't worth a second of the miko's attention. He thought he had already clearly explained that to the woman. So, why would she embrace him? Did she still love him after all?

The answer to those questions was inconsequential. The most important matter at hand was what the half demon had done with Kagome. He knew she had been there only moments before, because her flowery scent still lingered fresh upon Inuyasha's clothing, but now it was as though she had completely vanished from existence.

"That's what I should be asking you," the hanyou replied with a derisive snort. "Why have you suddenly taken such an interest in her?"

"I haven't," Sesshomaru countered coolly, his golden eyes expressing his extreme disinterest in the topic. Even if he had, what he did was none of the mutt's business. He didn't like anyone, especially Inuyasha, sticking their noses into matters that were none of their concern.

"What?" Inuyasha exclaimed, disbelief chiseled on his masculine features. "Then why the hell is she following you around? Obviously there's some kind of enchantment or spell or something going on here. I don't care what it is, but you better fix it damn it!"

It was Sesshomaru's turn to snort. Enchantment or spell? Hah! He, Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, would never resort to such trivial charms, especially not to keep the company of a human.

"Listen well, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru commanded with a tone of authority that his half-brother instantly resented. "I have done nothing to the girl. I have told her that she may go if she pleases, but it is her wish to remain in my company. I do not know her reasoning for such a decision, but my hypothesis is that it concerns your fraternization with the clay priestess. I believe it may be her hatred for you that keeps her away, not any enchantment. Whatever the reason, it is none of my concern."

"You're a liar," Inuyasha spat venomously. How dare Sesshomaru bring Kikyo into this! And was it true? Did Kagome really hate him? "Except for that kid you keep with you for whatever reason, you would never let a human tag along with you, unless they served some purpose."

"That child is quite taken with Kagome and enjoys her company immensely. That is her purpose. But, I do not have to explain myself to you. I assure you the woman is safe with me. If I had planned to harm her in any way, I would have done so already. Unlike Naraku, I prefer not to use manipulative tactics to achieve my goals. When I defeat you, it will be fairly in combat," the Youkai Lord remarked casually, as if slaying his brother in armed combat was nothing. Sesshomaru, however, was not feeling as cool-headed as his outward demeanor would suggest. He felt almost frantic with the need to know where Kagome had disappeared, and if it was possible to bring her back. He would never admit it, but he had missed her presence greatly the last few days, and the idea of never seeing her again had become largely unappealing. No matter how much his pride fought his feelings for the woman, it never managed to dispel them.

Inuyasha was speechless. Kagome stayed with Sesshomaru by choice? No spell or enchantment? She stayed with him, simply because she did not want to be with Inuyasha himself. Sesshomaru had to be lying. Kagome never would've admitted such things to the youkai. There was no way she had established any sort of friendship with the inuyoukai, and they were too personal for her just to divulge them to the closest pair of ears.

As much he loved Kikyo, Inuyasha had to admit that he did have feelings for Kagome. The realization that he had hurt her so badly that she preferred the cold detachment of Sesshomaru's company stung so much it left him reeling. Was she truly happier spending her days with his ruthless elder half-brother than she was when she was traveling with him and their friends?

_'Fine,'_ he thought bitterly as he approached Miroku_. 'If he can go back and get her, he can have her. She can just stay in her era if he can't.'_

"Give me the jewel shards," Inuyasha enjoined, holding out his opened hand. Suspiciously, Miroku placed the bottle in the hanyou's palm. "Here Sesshomaru, you go and get her if you want her back," he remarked throwing them at his brother before leaping away angrily. The demon lord caught them swiftly in his one hand and then turned his gaze to the two humans in the vicinity.

"And how does he suppose I do that with these?" he inquired monotonously, looking disdainfully at the shards. He remembered Kagome telling him that the shards were necessary to travel between time periods, but he did not know if there was some sort of spell or ritual, and he was hoping they would offer such information to him.

"Well, Kagome uses those to go through the well to come back to this era. All she does is jump in the well, and she's in a different era, but she can't come back without them," Sango explained nervously. Sesshomaru was making her uncomfortable. It was in her nature to destroy his kind, not help it, but she felt guilty for letting Inuyasha trick her closest friend. "If you can get through successfully using the shards, you could allow her to return to this era."

That was all that the Demon Lord needed to hear. Before the humans could say anything else, the youkai was bounding into the Bone Eater's well gracefully, jewel shards held tightly in his singular hand. As he was leaping into the well, he decided that he was wasting more time than necessary on the human priestess. He determined that following her through time was just a matter of curiosity, for he was admittedly curious to see if he could, indeed, use this simple hole in the ground to behold the mysteries of the future. But, as the air began to swirl with pinkish-purple light, in the back of his mind, he _knew_. He knew that he was desperate to bring her back with him.


	15. A New Era

**A/N: Hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

A swirling of blinding purple lights danced, eddying around his silk clad body and reflecting off of his glimmering silver hair. He was sure he should've hit the ground by now, but he continued falling through shimmering pinkish-purple lights. After what seemed like an interminable amount of time, his feet touched solid ground, and everything around him went dark.

He tried to take in his surroundings, but his eyes refused to adjust to the surrounding darkness after beholding the brightness of the purple light. He inhaled sharply to get his bearings. There were no longer any of the clean odors of wilderness around him. Instead, the air smelled damp and musty. Even the soil beneath his feet smelled as though it was rotting. He had surmised that he was, indeed, inside an old, moldy building at the bottom of an old well.

He could also discern the presence of many humans. They were everywhere, their sickly smell, their grating voices. He was completely surrounded by mortality. This came as a surprise to him. He could not discern any demonic auras nearby. He would have expected humans to die out long before demons. Was it really possible that they had gone extinct? Had demons truly lost all of their power in this new world?

His sensitive nose picked up the trail of Kagome's unique scent along with the salty smell of tears that littered the ground. The fact that his mangy half-brother had once again upset her to the point of tears infuriated him. He found himself wishing to travel back through the well and rip the half-breed to bloody pieces with his bare hands, but he contained himself. The woman was not worth these kinds of volatile emotions, or so he attempted to convince himself. These unsolicited feelings were absurdly vexing!

Finally his eyes adjusted, and he surveyed his surroundings with a keen eye. He was inside the same well, but it no longer looked a little old. It appeared to be ancient. As he shifted slightly, he noticed a mound of freshly turned soil under one of his feet, and shallow hole next to it. He realized that Kagome had attempted to dig her way through time with her bare hands to get back to him. Instinctively, he clenched his fists with rage, took a deep breath and then unclenched them. She was fine. He would be able to bring her back through the well with him. It was only her feelings that had been hurt. The Demon Lord could not understand why something so trivial was affecting him so much.

Leaping out of the stone well with unparalleled grace, Sesshomaru moved to the wooden doors of the well house. Upon opening the creaking doors, his nose was met with a wave of offensive odors and his ears bombarded by a blast of foreign and strident noises. His revulsion to these manifestations was so great that he nearly stepped backwards and slammed the door closed again to block them all out. He shook his head and tried to focus on Kagome's scent through the odious aromas that were assaulting his sensitive nose.

The Demon Lord scrutinized his new surroundings cautiously after he recovered from his initial shock. He was standing on the grounds of a shrine, which didn't look so different from those of his time, but everything else looked so different and strange. There were no crudely built huts or decadent castles. Everything was so bright and shiny and well put together. But, of course, he should've expected more advancement in commodities in the future.

As he took everything in, he spied a sight that caught him completely off guard. There were steel cages with spinning black wheels moving very quickly with humans inside them, but they were not being pulled by any horses. Despite the foul odors and grating noises they emitted, he found it fascinating magic. He also noticed that traffic no longer traveled on worn dirt paths, but on solid black paths with peculiar white and yellow lines that appeared to have some strange sort of significance to the travelers.

Foot traffic was conducted upon grey slabs of ground that stretched along either side of the black paths. The people traveling along these paths were dressed strangely. Many of the females were dressed in suggestively short kimonos as Kagome had been when he first met her. Some of them seemed to be talking to small colorful contraptions pressed to their ears or fiddling with some sort of handheld devices as they walked. The inuyoukai was curious as to what they were doing and to the purposes of the devices they carried.

It wasn't difficult for his trained nose to hone in on the young priestess's scent, and after spending a sufficient amount of time studying his curious whereabouts, he followed it, despite an overwhelming desire to explore and learn more. Considering the lack of demonic auras, he wasn't altogether certain of his safety in this new world.

Her scent led him to an invisible barrier that had strange white handle. He decided that it must be some sort of portal to allow people into the residence. Warily he reached out and touched the handle. It was cold against the warm skin of his hand. He tried pushing the barrier forward, but it did not give, and he did not want to exert his strength any further for fear that it might be too destructive. He tried pulling this time, but his results were the same. Noticing the track that the barrier sat in, Sesshomaru decided it would be prudent to try to slide the barrier over to gain access to this residence and proved himself correct when he felt it easily glide open.

The inside of the domicile was even more complicated than its exterior. He was surrounding by many unfamiliar objects and many strange-looking familiar ones. The floor beneath his feet was soft and plush, and much of the furniture appeared to be that way as well. He surmised that the priestess's era was one of comfort and ease.

In front of the sitting area sat box with moving pictures, but no sound. He stood and watched it for aware, the gears in his brain working hard to figure out how such a thing was possible. The scent of three other humans pervaded the house, but none were present, so how could he see these humans moving around in this box? Could they see him too? He walked over and poked at the pictures, his clawed finger coming in contact with a sturdy invisible barrier. This was a strange world, indeed, he thought to himself as he wandered the residence exploring all the novel amenities and contraptions.

He could smell the priestess's flowery scent all throughout the house, along with the discernible scent of the three other humans he had already detected. He found himself relieved that Kagome was the only one currently present in the residence. He wasn't certain how the other inhabitants would react to his presence. His ears picked up the lull of her voice. She was singing.

He followed the melodic sound in a daze. He had not realized that the young woman possessed such a talent. Her voice, while lacking some refinement, was almost as lovely as she was.

He ascended a set of stairs and came to a hollow wooden door. Her voice was coming from behind it, as was the sound of running water. Slowly, he opened the door, and a wave of hot steam rushed out to meet him. Through the steam, he could almost see her, but his vision was obscured by a wall of textured, translucent glass. Despite this, he could discern that the priestess was completely unclothed. The Demon Lord found himself almost taken aback by this discovery. He definitely should not have wandered in at this moment.

Before he could recover from his shock long enough to step out and close the door behind him quickly, the roaring of water ceased. The plate of glass slid open, and he found himself face to face with a very wet, very naked and very shocked Kagome. His eyes roamed her body, from the swell of her perfect breasts to the sensual curve of her hips and down to her long and toned legs. The sight was breath-taking.

He chided himself for the perversions running unbidden through his head. While the female form itself was nothing to scoff it, hers was the form of a human female. What was wrong with him? He could not seem to withstand this woman's charms, no matter how hard he tried. She was like quicksand. It seemed the more he tried to resist his attraction, the deeper he was pulled into it.

She stood stock still and was silent for a moment, her pretty mouth hanging open in surprise and a pink flush creeping across her cheeks fetchingly. Then, she stepped backward into the small cubicle she had emerged from and slid the glass closed again. After a second, the door slid open slightly, and she peeked her head out surreptitiously before slamming it shut again.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded in shock, trying to curb her embarrassment. This could not be happening to her. Oh Kami, what had she done to deserve this day? To be betrayed, sprain her ankle and then completely humiliated in one day was just too much.

_'Please let this be a dream… Please let this be a dream… Please let this be a dream…'_ Kagome repeated in her head, hoping that her strong desire to return to the Feudal Era was just manifesting itself in delusions, and she no one would be there to answer her question.

"I came to bring you back," he replied simply. Despite his own immense discomfit, mostly from the inappropriate thoughts running unbidden through his mind, the demon lord was extremely entertained by her mortified actions, but he stoically suppressed any signs of mirth. It wasn't befitting of Youkai Lord to expose such a frivolous sentiment as joy.

"Well, can you bring me back after I am dressed, please?" she squeaked, feeling her cheeks heat up again out of humiliation. She couldn't believe Sesshomaru was actually there, or that she had just given him an eyeful of her extreme, not to mention dripping wet, nudity.

"That is my intention. Unless you would prefer to return in your current state," he stated arching an amused silver eyebrow, stepping backwards and closing the door. He was sure his comment had turned her already flushed cheeks an even deeper shade of scarlet.

Trying to pretend that he was utterly unaffected by the awkward situation, Sesshomaru moved back to the stairs and descended them with unimaginable poise, waiting patiently at the bottom of the stairs for the young woman to complete her grooming rituals and finish dressing. He knew he would never be able to get the image of her of her perfect form out of his head. It was burned into his memory and would forever taunt him, as if she hadn't already beguiled him enough. Now he was certain he would never be able to fight his growing feelings for her. Not that he had really been doing a good job of that anyway.

Kagome nearly screamed out loud from the mortification she had been subject to. What on Earth was Sesshomaru doing in her era? How did he know that she was in back in the present? And, why was he in her bathroom, of all places, while she was completely naked in the shower? The day just continued to get better and better for the unlucky priestess.


	16. Apologies Accepted

**A/N: Enjoy!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

_'He made it through the well,'_ Kagome squealed mentally, after recovering from the embarrassment she had just experienced moments before. She wasn't sure why this was such an exciting thing for her, but it was. Sure it meant she could go back, but she'd be returning to friends who had betrayed her trust for traveling with a Demon Lord for which she had what she was sure were unrequited feelings. Her heart sank as she pulled a jade green t-shirt over her head, mussing up her damp raving locks.

Kagome looked over at the pristine uniform hanging neatly in her closet. She had decided to against donning her school uniform in the Feudal Era ever again. From here on out it would be jeans or at least shorts instead of her short, and often inconvenient, skirt. She knew she wasn't going to be returning to school any time soon with the strict visitation time limit Sesshomaru had imposed upon her. Her mind wandered back to her problems in the Feudal Era.

She still had so many responsibilities to attend to in the Feudal Era. It was her duty to at least complete the Shikon no Tama. But to do that, Naraku would have to be defeated. She would have to be involved in it all, despite her newly formed feelings of resentment towards the task. So she broke the jewel, but it wasn't like she had asked to be Kikyo's reincarnation or the new keeper of jewel. She had wasted three years of her life, fallen incredibly behind in her classes and would probably never catch up and, therefore, never be able to have a real life in her era. She had fallen in love and gotten her heart broken by someone who didn't want her was probably well on her way to making that mistake once again. Her time in the Feudal Era really hadn't done her any good at all.

It wasn't that she didn't want Naraku dead or the jewel to be whole. He was a despicable creature that brought suffering to everyone he came into contact with. It was just that she wanted it to be done and over with already, so she could get on with her life. Plus, she didn't want to work with Inuyasha to do any of it. What he had done to her was unforgiveable, stranding her in her own time, because he was jealous that she wanted to stay with someone else over him.

"Kagome, are you clothed yet?" a baritone voice sounded from down the stairs, echoing through the stairway and startling her. She almost giggled at the lack of patience exhibited by the usually stoic youkai. She was taking an awfully long time, she supposed.

Sesshomaru was losing patience and rather quickly, at that. He couldn't be sure what was invading the privacy of his mind more, the image of Kagome's exposed body or the lyrics uttered by her sweet voice. He wanted to leave and return to his era before he had any more time to continue mentally studying the miko's unclothed form. The inuyoukai doubted very much that there was anything could take his mind off of her, but maybe his mind wouldn't wander so much if he wasn't stuck her waiting for her to finish whatever it was that she was doing.

Even while she had been away with her friends, she did not leave his thoughts for a second. He wasn't even able to return to his companions during her absence. What was becoming of him? Despite all his protests and his antipathy toward human kind, Sesshomaru was finally giving in to the realization that he was cursed to follow in the footsteps of his father.

But, unlike his father, he was not skilled at wooing the opposite sex. He was terrible at small talk, or was it talk in general at which he failed to excel? He spoke only when necessary, which was very little, and almost never interacted with mature females. In fact, save Kagura, Rin was the only female he had truly interacted with in nearly three years.

And what was he to do about her feelings for his brother? They had been embracing before she had been tossed into the well, so it was clear that she still loved him. What if he pursued his feelings for her, and she rejected him for Inuyasha? Sesshomaru was actually hurt by this idea. In fact, the thought of her embracing the filthy mutt was infuriating enough. He almost growled aloud in frustration. A mere human was causing him more agitation than he could ever remember feeling before.

The girl stepped out of her bedroom completely clothed, almost to the inuyoukai's distaste. Again he chided himself for his mental perversions. Kagome blushed delicately as she felt his eyes upon her. It was almost as if she knew exactly what he was thinking as his eyes roamed her slender form, a thought that made his heart skip a beat. But no, the priestess was more oblivious than any being he had ever come across, and he was near impossible to read. There was no way she had any idea what had crossed his mind. He shook the thought from his head and turned away from her as she began her descent down the stairs.

"You…You actually came for me," she muttered softly causing the demon lord to turn and look up at her from the bottom of the stairs. Her dark-eyes were downcast, and small, shy smile played across her well-formed lips.

"I said three days," he replied icily and started walking toward the exit of the house. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, he tossed a small glass bottle to her without looking over his shoulder, and she caught it effortlessly. While he had been waiting for her to get dressed, he had placed the two shards in his possession inside the bottle as well. "I believe those belong to you."

She was stung by his sudden nonchalance. Had she done something wrong? Was he angry she was causing him such inconvenience? Had he seen Inuyasha embrace her? Is that why he was being so cold again?

She tried to catch up to the inuyoukai, but her sprained ankle wouldn't let her. Her eyes watered with pain as she allowed too much pressure to be placed upon it, but she fought back any unladylike exclamations of pain. Biting her tongue to keep her mind off of her ankle, she continued to limp after the Youkai Lord.

As he reached the strange, clear sliding door, Sesshomaru could smell the familiar salt of her tears. He turned to see her steadying herself against a wall, a pained expression on her face. She was clearly limping. Instantly, he found himself worried beyond all measure. Here he was being cold and treating her as if she had committed an offense against him, all because she had embraced his half-brother instead of him, despite having no knowledge of his feelings, and she was hurt. He should have noticed that her footfalls had sounded abnormal, but he was too preoccupied with his perverse thoughts to even notice that she was walking with a limp. Why hadn't she bothered to say anything?

"You are injured?" he inquired, a concern in his voice that confused even himself. The miko froze for a moment, caught off guard by the emotion in the usually stoic youkai's voice. His demeanor had changed so quickly when he realized she was in pain.

"It's only a sprain," Kagome replied, shrugging her shoulders. She didn't want his sympathy. He hadn't bothered with a hello, no how are you, not even a you're welcome, and now he was going to fret over her as if he cared. "I just need to go easy on it for a few days. I'm fine, really."

He turned and opened the door, then returned to her and lifted her off her feet, cradling her gently in his arm and mentally cursing himself for such displays of tenderness. But it felt nice to hold her against him, to feel the rise and fall of her chest and the beating of her heart. It was a feeling he never thought he would ever desire, but that he knew how good it felt, to have someone in his arms, well arm, he wasn't sure if he would ever stop craving the closeness of it all.

"I said I was fine," she protested as she felt her feet lift off the ground. She was getting thoroughly irritated with the demon lord. One moment he was frigid and emotionless, the next she could easily read his emotions in the tone of his voice. It was an exhausting game that she had played with Inuyasha, and she had no desire to play it with his elder brother as well.

"Just be quiet, and let me take care of you," he whispered, repeating the words she had said the night she had taken care of injuries he had sustained in battle. Immediately her irritation waned, as goose bumps washed over her delicate flesh. The butterflies that had been in her stomach earlier that day returned, batting their wings exuberantly, as the Demon Lord leapt into the well with Kagome tucked securely in arm. So what if he forgot formalities? He had come after her. Wasn't that enough from the detached inuyoukai for one day? Kagome doubted it, but she would drop the issue for the time being.

It was late afternoon in the Feudal era, but time was hard to tell due to ominous, massive grey clouds gathering in the sky, suffocating the contented blue that had been there before it and threatening the ground below with rain. There were no longer birds chirping, and the wind had picked up, blowing so hard that it pinned the long blades of green grass flat against the earth.

Sesshomaru could smell the oncoming storm, along with the scent of humanity as they rematerialized in the Feudal Era. As he exited the well, he found himself and Kagome seemingly surrounded by her friends. They had been waiting for him to return with her.

"You actually made it through!" an excited demon slayer exclaimed happily clapping her hands together in excitement. Sesshomaru set the young woman in his arms down with care and moved to stand away to the side of the group of people. This was between Kagome and her former companions, and he wanted no part in it.

"Kagome, I'm so sorry!" a teary-eyed Shippo wailed. "I didn't want to, but Inuyasha made me!"

She noticed the guilt written on the faces of Miroku and Sango. The demon slayer was looking at her feet awkwardly and the monk's expression was sheepish.

"Inuyasha said we had to do something, so Miroku came up with the idea. We only went along with it, because we were worried about you," Sango admitted shamefully. "I should've known better than to second guess your judgement."

"We all should have," Miroku said putting a comforting arm around Sango's shoulders. "It just seemed very suspicious, and we were concerned with your well-being."

Kagome smiled softly and picked up the tearful kitsune. She hugged him close to her and sighed with resignation.

"You all know I could never stay angry with you," she replied as Shippo wiped his tears away. "You were only doing what you believed was in my best interest. But, please believe me when I tell you that traveling with you is no longer in my best interest. Stay with Inuyasha and continue your fight against Naraku. I will continue searching for the jewel shards. And look," she continued nodding her head toward Sesshomaru, her voice growing soft, "he's not a bad guy once you get to know him. He really is very kind, in his own way."

Kagome's friends were bewildered but reassured. If Kagome had decided it was best for her to stay with Sesshomaru, than she must have had good reason. Who were they to question her decisions?

The miko set Shippo down and gave Sango and Miroku each a quick hug and then she scooped the kitsune back up into her arms and hugged him tightly. She could feel hot tears welling in her eyes as she prepared to say her farewells, but she fought them back, swallowing hard before she could speak.

"I've missed you all so much, and it was great to see you again!" she stated with a smile, her voice wavering ever so slightly. "You all should probably return to the village before it starts to rain."

She turned and began to limp toward Sesshomaru. Her friends stood a moment, watching her retreat of into the distance with the Youkai Lord. Shippo's eyes were streaming as she disappeared off into the distant trees of the forest. Sango looked down at the small kit with sad eyes.

"Come on Shippo," she urged softly, taking his hand. "Let's go back, now. I promise we'll see Kagome again later."


	17. The Lighting of a Flame

**A/N: Some fluff (with maybe a half dash of lime)! Definitely going to start delving into the more adult aspect slowly, but we'll get there. **

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

"So," a pained Kagome began as she limped clumsily, wincing every now and again, behind an emotionally repressed Demon Lord, "was it nice to have a break from me?"

The sky remained overcast and dark, occasionally brightened by lightning smiting the earth angrily only to be followed by the ferocious rumble of thunder. Rain was drizzling erratically to the earth, but the already malevolent storm had yet to truly begin. Sesshomaru noticed that the ground beneath his feet was becoming slippery and difficult for the injured priestess to walk upon.

"Hello? Anybody home? It's not polite to ignore people, ya know," she stated in exasperation, rolling her eyes in frustration. She sounded out of breath from trying to keep pace with the Demon Lord.

Sesshomaru was also finding himself vexed. Her question was irritating. Should he just outright admit to her that he did not enjoy his time without her? Rin was bound to tell her the woman that he had not returned during the entirety of her absence, but would she attribute that to her time away? He slowed his pace slightly so she could catch up to him.

"It was…less pleasant than I had hoped," he replied hoping she would say no more about the subject. He had no desire to explain himself, especially not while she was being so absurdly stubborn. "You should not be walking on that injury."

She had refused to let him carry her any more. His frigidity had injured her pride while in her era, and Kagome was not ready to let that go. So he had come back for her, but it wasn't until he had realized that she was physically injured that he had even bothered to express any sort of concern about her. So, even if it made her sprain worse, she had decided that she was going walk the entire way by herself.

She gasped in pain as she felt her foot sliding in the wet grass causing her to lose her balance and step down with more pressure than she desired to place upon her sprain. A single, strong arm quickly steadied her before she tumbled to the damp earth beneath her. Kagome felt her breath catch in her throat. He was touching her again, for the second time that day, and for a moment her pain and frustration were forgotten for the nervous butterflies that took flight in her stomach once again.

"We should not continue any further if you truly wish to walk," the inuyoukai advised as the rain began to hammer mercilessly upon the ground. "You are either going to slip and injure yourself further or become ill from spending too much time in inclement weather."

He found himself staring deeply into a pair of very honestly innocent chocolate brown eyes until he slowly realized he was still holding onto her. He could hear her heart pounding violently in her chest, but he couldn't tell if it was from exertion or his touch. Quickly, he let go and directed his gaze elsewhere as the girl blushed deeply.

"I…I didn't think you, of all people, would be concerned for my health," she muttered trying to break the awkward silence between them. His eyes flashed with some indiscernible emotion, and Kagome immediately regretted her words. Had he not been worried for her well-being, he wouldn't have acknowledged her injury in the first place.

"You do not expect me to be understanding?" he demanded, feeling almost hurt by her comment. He had just spent three days being 'concerned for her health' as she put it and grappling with a more tender side of his emotions than he wasn't used to experiencing on her account. He was probably more interested in her well-being than even she, herself, was as she had insisted on trudging through the rain on injured leg just to spite him.

"I can't seem to expect much from anyone anymore," she whispered, her face becoming more dejected than ever he'd seen her as a silent tear rolled down her cheek. Inuyasha had, yet again, hurt her more than she would admit, and the betrayal of her friends had shaken her trust considerably as well.

Placing a comforting hand on her cheek, he wiped the tear away with his thumb and gave her a rare half smile. "This inuyoukai would never intentionally cause you grief."

"Let's get out of this rain," she replied beaming at him hollowly, the expression playing across her lips failing to match the melancholy expression that remained in her eyes.

They found a tight cluster of leafy trees that offered sufficient protection from the large droplets of rain that had thoroughly soaked both Kagome and Sesshomaru to the bone. Despite the stress of the day's events, Kagome was becoming increasingly amused as her thoughts light-heartedly wandered to the demon lord's unkempt appearance. He usually looked so pristine, and she found it strange that he was actually subject to the same inconvenience as she was. His hair looked stringy as wet strands adhered themselves to his perfect face, yet it still glistened the way it did when dry. His haori no longer appeared royal as the wet silk was wrinkled in some places and plastered to his skin in others. Kagome stifled a giggle as she wondered if Sesshomaru was the type of canine that hated water.

Despite his sodden appearance, he was still beautiful. Kagome could not help but notice the complete perfection of his generally emotionless features or the way his silvery hair and white clothing contrasted so starkly with the bright greenery of the trees in which they were taking refuge from the storm. It was as if he was some otherworldly being, sent from the heavens to wander the earth.

Sesshomaru was also examining his companion, but he was entertained in a much different manner than his female companion. The Youkai Lord was noticing how lovely the priestess looked despite her drenched and messy hair. He also found himself fascinated with the way her wet clothing clung to her body, hugging every delightful curve that he had already had the pleasure of viewing earlier that day. He closed his amber eyes for a moment, summoning the lovely vision. The woman was rousing a desperate longing in him that he had never experienced before now.

"You are the most stubborn female I have ever come across," he stated matter-of-factly, unable to take his eyes from her exquisite figure. "Because you refuse to be carried, we are delayed until the rain ceases."

"Oh yeah?" she retorted, stung by his comment. She marched up to him and poked him hard in the chest. "Well, you are the most difficult male I have ever come across!"

He arched a perfect, silver brow as she folded her arms across her chest defensively. She was accusing him of being more difficult than his mutt of a brother?

"More difficult than Inuyasha?" he inquired not bothering to disguise the curiosity in his voice. Kagome rolled her eyes and nodded in reply. "How so?" he demanded in irritation. He could not imagine how it would ever be possible to be more aggravating than his half brother.

"At least I knew what Inuyasha wanted me around for. With you, I have no idea!" she exclaimed agitation lacing her girlish voice. "One moment, you're all curious about my feelings toward you and your brother..."

"Half-brother," he interrupted in correction. Kagome's eyes flashed with rage at his interruption, her disruption blood beginning to boil.

"Whatever!" she snapped heatedly, fighting the incredibly immature urge to stomp her foot. "Anyway, the next you're all cold and distant. What, exactly, is it that you're trying to do, because if your goal is to confuse and irritate the hell out of me, you're sure doing a good job!" she fumed, completely losing her patience with the youkai for the first time.

Sesshomaru was astonished. She had spoken to him so impudently, but her point was not unfounded. Because his feelings for the woman caused him so much chagrin, he was as vexing to her as she was to him. Another, almost surprising notion crossed his mind.

She had been analyzing her relationship with him as much as he had been evaluating his feelings for her. She had noticed mixed signals from and become frustrated. She wanted him as much as he wanted her, or else, why would she pay any mind to his confusing behaviors? If she had not been interested, she would not dwell on anything he said or did. None of it would matter to her. The thought made his heart skip a beat.

He looked down at the woman before him. Her large eyes were ablaze with indignation, her lips were pursed humorlessly and her arms were still folded across her chest. He almost smiled at her fiery spirit, but instead kept his features nonchalant. Then, quickly, before he had any time to talk himself out of it, he wrapped his one hand around the back of her neck firmly and planted a hard kiss upon her lips.

Kagome froze, her eyes wide with astonishment. She was too stunned to return his gesture of affection. After he drew back, she remained completely motionless with shock as her mind tried to comprehend the situation. All of her fiery wrath had been extinguished at once and replaced with bewilderment. She felt tremendously dizzy all of a sudden.

"It was not my intention to cause you such distress," he drawled disinterestedly, smirking with amusement as a doe-eyed Kagome slowly brought a hand to her mouth as if to check if her lips were still on her face.

"What...What did you do that for?" she stammered, still completely taken aback. There was no way that this was actually happening. Kagome decided she really had to be dreaming. Sesshomaru traveling to her era to bring her back to the Feudal Era had been a stretch, but this…this was impossible. Maybe she had hit her head when Inuyasha had thrown her into well.

"I do as I please," was his succinct reply. In all actuality, Sesshomaru was just as amazed with his impetuous actions as she was, and now her reaction was worrying him. Maybe his assumption had been incorrect, and she did not return his feelings for her after all. He tensed, and a flash of anxiety made its way across his pale features for a split second as he inquired, "Did it displease you?"

"I…Um…Well… Uhh…Oh gosh," she stuttered, looking down at her feet. A scarlet blush had crept across her cheeks. He relaxed as he realized she had enjoyed the feel of his lips against hers as much as he had.

"Do not be ashamed by your feelings," he remarked and her blush deepened. "You are not the first woman to express an interest in me."

"Why, you smug jerk!" she exclaimed still feeling a bit unsure of the situation she now found herself in. Sesshomaru let out a short laugh at Kagome's reaction, and she was surprised by the honest warmth and mirth in this rare action. She had always expected his laugh to be cold and unpleasant. Then again, Sesshomaru hadn't turned out to be anything like what she had expected.

He drew her in a second time, and this time she returned his kiss, her soft lips parting as he dragged his sharp fangs over her bottom lip gently. She shivered, goosebumps rising on her flesh almost instantly from the new sensation. He tangled his fingers in her hair, deepening their kiss, his tongue writhing against hers with unrivaled expertise. They stood there for what seemed like hours in each other's embrace, exploring the other's mouths with hungry desire, until, at long last, Kagome gave into her need for air. Flushed and panting slightly, she stared up into heavy-lidded amber eyes, and for the first time since they began traveling together, Sesshomaru could tell by the expression reflected in her chocolate brown eyes, that Kagome was truly happy.


	18. Sesshomaru's Resolve

**A/N: I know it's been like…a really long time since I've updated this story, and I apologize to my readers for that ridiculous amount of time between updates. Life just got in the way, but I'm finally getting around to finishing this fanfic, and I've got some great new ideas for it!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

Sesshomaru spent the rest of his evening resting under the protection of the trees waiting out the storm as Kagome, his Kagome, slept peacefully against his chest. He finally understood his father's reasoning for falling in love with a human woman. Despite this woman's humanity, she had a pure and fiery spirit that no demoness could ever possess, and despite her mortality, it was her fragility that made her existence in this world so much more beautiful.

He couldn't imagine anyone better suited to travel by his side. The woman possessed more inner strength then anyone he had ever come across, and, by no means, could she be considered helpless. He, Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, had finally come to grips with the fact that he had been completely and totally captivated by the love of a human woman.

While he was not sure about the particulars of their relationship or its future, there was one thing Sesshomaru was certain of. He would go to the ends of the earth just to keep her as happy as she was at this moment in time. He brushed strands of raven hair away from her face tenderly, as he gazed down her slumbering face. There was nothing he couldn't do for the love of this woman.

x.X.x

Through the eyes of a lone Saimyousho, Naraku observed the Youkai Lord's tender displays of affection for the young woman resting comfortably on his chest. How convenient for him that the flying insect had been caught in the heavy downpour. If not for the sudden storm, it never would've landed in the trees that Sesshomaru and Kagome had wandered into to escape the weather.

"Hm, what an interesting development, wouldn't you agree, Kagura?" Naraku asked the wind sorceress snidely. He was well aware of her developing interest in the Youkai Lord, and he so enjoyed breaking her spirit whenever the opportunity arose. He was certain she was hurt by the sight, but Kagura did not deign to reply. "I wonder if Inuyasha is aware of the girl's new infatuation," the evil hanyou continued, his mind obviously at work. "I have a feeling this could prove most entertaining for me."

x.X.x

Kagome's eyes fluttered open sleepily shortly after the morning sun had risen. For a moment she lay still, trying to remember whose heartbeat she was currently listening to, and then the memories of the kiss she and Sesshomaru shared came flooding through her mind. She sat up quickly, to make certain it really was the Demon Lord that she had fallen asleep on and that earlier events had not been some fantastic dream.

A deep blush spread like wildfire across her cheeks, when her soulful eyes met with the inuyoukai's rich amber eyes. She couldn't believe he had let her fall asleep on him. All of it was so new, and it was going to take a long while for her to become accustomed to such intimate scenarios. After all, she was eighteen and had only ever kissed Inuyasha. On top of that, Sesshomaru's kisses were nothing like those she had shared with the hanyou. They were passionate and filled with a desire so strong it made Kagome's knees weak.

"How was your rest?" Sesshomaru inquired softly, interrupting Kagome's private thoughts. Her heart started to pound in her chest furiously at the sound of his voice. He could hear the steady drumming, smiled inwardly.

"Is it a new day already?" she replied stifling a yawn. The youkai nodded in reply, and the woman's usually cheery face fell a little. "Yesterday was such a good day, it's a shame that it's over."

"We can make more good days," Sesshomaru replied, pulling her face to his for a deep, hungry kiss. She kissed him back, and a faint pink blush returned to her cheeks. It was strange to him how natural it felt to be with Kagome in this way, after all the time he spent denying his feelings for her. If only he had realized how easy it would be sooner. He almost felt as if he had been wasting his time until now.

"Who would've thought that Sesshomaru, fearsome Demon Lord, would actually turn out to be such a romantic?" Kagome giggled, a huge smile plastered across her face. She pulled away from him to stretch, before rising to her wobbly feet. Her ankle was swollen and still fairly sore. "We should probably be getting back to Rin and the others soon. Rin is good natured, but Jaken is a pest, and I wouldn't want to leave her alone with him and his complaints for too long."

Sesshomaru agreed wordlessly, and also rose to his feet, taking Kagome's dainty hand and leading her out into the morning sunshine. The ground was still damp and slippery, so the inuyoukai maintained a tight grip on the priestess's hand as she hobbled along by his side, but he didn't offer to carry her today. He wanted to spend as much time alone with her as he possible could, before returning to his other companions. Soon he would return to his search for Naraku, and she would be occupied with caring for Rin.

Kagome was also lost in her thoughts as they walked slowly, their fingers interlaced. It felt so sudden, Sesshomaru's outpouring of affection. She still felt confused and a little overwhelmed, not that she was unhappy. But, she didn't understand where this left them. Dating of her time and the courtship of the Feudal Era were two very different things already, but there were also the complexities of the demon aspect that Kagome had no idea about. How did demons date or court or whatever it was that they did? What was going to be expected of her? What should she expect of him? Was this just going to be a fleeting fancy or was he actually invested? Suddenly Kagome found her head swirling with uncertainty. Maybe she should ask Sesshomaru.

The thought made Kagome's stomach turn with anxiety. All he had done was kiss her. Really what did that mean? In her time, a kiss was nothing to most people. There were no obligations that came with a kiss. It wasn't like he had told her that he loved her, but he had said they would have more good days together. Her mind was starting to run away with her. She decided she would just let everything happen naturally and deal with things as they came. There was no need for some embarrassing relationship discussion if there was no real relationship to discuss, and no need for her to scare him away so early. She decided to appreciate what she already had and remain cautiously optimistic for the future.

As if he knew what she was thinking, Sesshomaru gave her small hand a quick, reassuring squeeze. She smiled up at him brightly, and even though his expression remained unchanged, she could see his smile behind his eyes. Kagome was overcome with a feeling of complete contentment. So maybe it wasn't perfect, and maybe it wouldn't end up lasting forever, or maybe it would. But right now, it really didn't matter. For the first time in almost two months Kagome felt like she was okay. In fact, she was better than okay. She was happy again.

x.X.x

It was early afternoon by the time the pair reached the rest of their small party, because of Kagome's slowed pace. The brutal storm had cleared as quickly as it had come; leaving almost no evidence of its existence, save for the muddy ground. The bright sky was blue and cloudless, and the afternoon sun hung overhead bathing the land in warm rays of light.

They were received warmly by their companions, Rin squealing in delight and beaming at the fact that the Youkai Lord and the priestess were hand in hand. Jaken was genuinely happy for Sesshomaru's return, though he had hoped it would be without the priestess. He eyed their interlocked hands with distaste, obviously unhappy with the new development. Kagome rolled her eyes. She could already tell the little toad was going to have something to say about the gesture.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Lady Kagome! I am so glad you are back!" Rin welcomed them exuberantly. Kagome dropped the inuyoukai's hand to drop to the young girls height and embrace her tightly.

"I'm glad to be back, Rin. Did you behave for Jaken while I was away?" she replied smiling at the girl. She wished that she had thought to ask to bring Shippo along with them as a playmate for Rin. She was sure the kitsune wouldn't have minded staying with her, and he probably would've enjoyed having a playmate close to his age. She decided she would bring it up the next time she was able to see her friends.

"Mm hm!" the girl nodded in answer with a toothy grin, adding in little more than a whisper, "Although, I don't know if Jaken thinks so."

Kagome laughed aloud and patted the girl on the head jovially. She felt so at home here with Rin and Sesshomaru. She had never thought that she would have this feeling away from Inuyasha and her friends, but now they felt like strangers to her and the Youkai Lord and his young ward were Kagome's new family. It was nice to feel as though there was somewhere she belonged completely.

A few feet away, Jaken was fidgeting uncomfortably trying to formulate the right words in his dense head. He was wringing his hands as he shifted himself closer to the towering inuyoukai. Sesshomaru didn't even bother to look in the imp's direction.

"M'lord," he started nervously in his strident voice. "Do you think it's best to be seen traversing the lands hand in hand with a…a human?"

Sesshomaru could clearly hear the disgust in his vassal's voice. He had known that he was going to meet with disapproval from the annoying creature, and probably from many others as well, but it really didn't matter to him. He was Lord of the Western Lands, and he would do as he very well pleased.

"Mind your own business, Jaken," he answered coldly, his eyes focused on the priestess and the young girl chatting exuberantly. He was amazed at how good Kagome was with Rin. She had taught the young girl so much more than Sesshomaru had the time or patience to teach. He knew that he was lucky to have come across such an extraordinary woman, not only for the girl's benefit, but for his own as well. Rin might have melted the ice around his cold heart a little, but Kagome had completely thawed it.

"But m'lord," the irritating demon interjected, rudely interrupting the Youkai Lord's thoughts. Sesshomaru was already vexed by his meddlesome vassal. "Aren't you worried that other demons will think you weak and try to seize control of your lands? Or what if the humans protest your union like they did with your father?"

Sesshomaru almost laughed aloud. He had never back away from a challenge, and now was not the time for him to start. "Let them try."

It did not matter who protested or disapproved of his tender relationship with the human woman. He did not have to explain himself to his vassal or anyone else, for that matter. He would defeat Naraku and any other demon that threatened their happiness, bare-handed if that was what was required to keep Kagome by his side and happy. Any fool that made the mistake that his fondness for the human made him weak was dead wrong.


	19. Sesshomaru Leaves And Koga Visits

**A/N: Thank you guys for the kind reviews and all the adds to favorites/alerts! I really appreciate your support! Hope you enjoy this new chapter!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

For the second night in a row, Kagome had spent her night with her head resting comfortably against Sesshomaru's chest as she slumbered. She woke to a clawed hand shaking her awake gently, before the sun had even risen for the day. The miko batted at it groggily, annoyed with the disruption of her sleep.

"Kagome," Sesshomaru whispered urgently. If the situation hadn't been so pressing, he probably would have been quite amused by her reaction. "Wake up."

The Demon Lord could smell the stench of Naraku rife within the air. The hanyou's barrier around his castle had weakened. Something was happening. Something that Sesshomaru did not like. He would have to leave Kagome, so soon after lighting the flames of their relationship, to investigate this strange occurrence. It was a thought the inuyoukai did not relish.

The prospect of separating from the priestess so soon pierced his heart like an arrow, but it would be a distraction to have her with him. And, were Naraku to discover the nature of his relationship with the woman, he would be sure to use it to Sesshomaru's disadvantage. Not even Inuyasha or Kagome's friends had knowledge of their romantic connection, and it was probably best that way for the time being. It was a circumstance that would be welcomed by no one, as already proven by his bothersome vassal. He shook the woman again, more firmly this time.

"Rise from your slumber Kagome," he commanded, a little louder. Finally she stirred, wiping her bleary eyes. The sky was still black and the stars were barely starting to fade from view. Why was he waking her up so early?

"What is it? What's going on?" she mumbled half asleep. Sesshomaru could not keep the smile from the corners of his mouth. Her dazed torpor was endearing.

"Kagome, I have to leave now," he started to explain. She sat up straighter, suddenly alert.

"What?" she exclaimed almost too loudly. Rin stirred in her sleep restlessly. "What do you mean you have to leave?" she demanded in a whisper. This was not quite the morning Kagome had expected to have.

"I can sense Naraku's presence. His barrier is greatly weakened. I must go and investigate this development."

"It must be his period of weakness," Kagome reasoned aloud, remembering the last time this occasion with Naraku's barrier occurred. "You should take me with you."

"No. You will stay here and protect Rin," the youkai countered sternly. He could see her start to protest. "Do not argue. It will not change my mind. I do not think that this is the hanyou's time of vulnerability. Something is wrong. I can sense it. Until I have full knowledge of Naraku's plans, you and Rin are to remain here, out of harm's way. I will come for you if I deem it necessary."

_'Like that'll happen,'_ Kagome thought to herself sarcastically, trying not to roll her eyes. Sesshomaru could sense her displeasure and pulled her into a passionate kiss. He could feel her relax in his embrace. The both rose to their feet to say their farewells, Kagome wondering how long he would be away from her this time. She grabbed his hand before he turned to go.

"Take care of yourself, Sesshomaru," she murmured, wishing she could gather the nerve to tell him that she loved him. He nodded his silent reply and began to walk away into the soft pastels of the breaking dawn. With an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, Kagome hoped he would return to her soon. She wanted her chance to admit her feelings.

x.X.x

The three days following his departure seemed to pass Kagome by as though time was stuck on fast forward, and it wasn't because life with Rin and Jaken had suddenly become exciting. There wasn't much that had really changed since the day she had returned from Kaede's village. Her days were blurring into one another with the routine of it all.

Sesshomaru was still gone, tracking Naraku movements, Kagome supposed. The priestess desperately wished she was with him. She wanted to know that Sesshomaru was safe, and she was curious to know what the despicable hanyou was up to and if it involved her friends. He never seemed to be finished tormenting them, even though he had already caused them so much suffering.

Kagome couldn't understand why it was that Sesshomaru left her behind. What would he do if he found Naraku? The Youkai Lord was incredibly powerful, but Kagome doubted that he could defeat the hanyou single-handedly. Naraku was cunning, and he had many incarnations at his disposal, not to mention a great deal of the shards of the Shikon Jewel. Even if he was defeated, Kagome would need to be there to purify those shards.

Kagome cursed his overprotective nature. She knew Rin was fine with Jaken and Ah-Un. Before she traveled with them, the girl was safe and well cared for during Sesshomaru's absences. And, if it was her safety, instead of Rin's, he was concerned about, the Demon Lord needn't worry. Kagome had proven herself useful in battle on more than one occasion. She was an experienced archer by now, and her priestess powers had grown considerably. It was incredibly frustrating for the woman to be left sitting on the sidelines with no idea what was happening in the world around her.

Kagome was drawn out of her thoughts by Rin who was exhibiting some strange behavior at the approach of a large, dusty whirlwind. She was frozen in place, wide-eyed and shaking uncontrollably as if she were terrified. She didn't understand why Rin was so frightened of the twisting wind formation heading their way. Kagome knew it was only Koga, the young leader of the Eastern Wolf Demon Tribe, and she didn't find him particularly intimidating.

She moved to put a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder as the wolf demon skidded to a halt in front of her. The terrified girl quickly wrapped her arms tightly around Kagome's leg and attempted to hide behind it, still shaking.

"So, it's true… You really aren't traveling with that filthy mutt anymore," Koga remarked casually in his form of a greeting.

"Rin, it's ok. Calm down," Kagome tried to reassure Rin, ignoring the wolf's comment for the time being. "It's just Koga."

"What's her problem?" the wolf scoffed haughtily, folding his arms over his chest.

"I don't know, but you don't have to be so insensitive about it," Kagome scolded him irritably. Usually the miko had more patience with the wolf, but she had other things on her mind.

"What's her problem?" Jaken piped in indignantly from across their modest encampment. "Her problem is that your wolves attacked her and her village. If it wasn't for Lord Sesshomaru's mercy and his tensaiga, that girl would not be traveling with us today."

This was news to Kagome. She remembered the village well. How could she ever forget such brutality and bloodshed? That had been the day she first met Koga. But, she had no idea that Rin had been one of the villagers viciously attacked by Koga's wolves. No wonder the poor girl was terrified.

"Jaken, do me a favor and keep an eye on Rin," Kagome ordered much to the demon's chagrin. "I'll be back shortly. I don't want Koga making Rin uncomfortable."

She led Koga into the forest away from the encampment and the terrified little girl. He followed wordlessly for only a moment, before he couldn't hold his tongue any longer.

"How come you're not running around with that half demon anymore?"

"Oh well… We had some issues that we couldn't resolve," she replied reservedly. She didn't want to explain the situation to Koga, nor did she feel like explaining her current situation. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

"Caught of whiff of that damn Naraku," he replied, clenching his fists at the thought of the hanyou that slaughtered his comrades. "Then I caught a whiff of your scent and decided to stop and let Hakkaku and Ginta catch up. You know, Kagome, you had me worried when I ran into Inuyasha, and he couldn't tell me where you'd run off to. You should have just found me if you decided that mutt wasn't strong enough to protect you."

A look of exasperated astonishment came over Kagome's face. "That's not it at all, Koga."

"Must have been his other woman then, huh? I don't know why that matters to you. I'm just going to kill the mutt anyway. I already told you that you're my woman," he asserted, grabbing her hands in his as if to prove his point.

_'Oh, I could think of someone who would beg to differ,' _Kagome thought to herself, trying to imagine Sesshomaru's reaction to the wolf's brazen declarations of affection. The scenario did not play out particularly well in her head.

"Doesn't look like you're any better protected than when you were with Inuyasha, traveling with a human child and a scrawny little imp," Koga commented in concern.

"Oh, I'm actually a lot safer than you would think," Kagome replied hastily, waving her hand airily. "I don't even remember the last time I've even had to pick up my bow. Plus Sesshomaru usually isn't gone this long…"

"WHAT?" Koga exclaimed obviously surprised. "You're keeping company with another dog?"

"It's…a long story, really," Kagome confessed, not wanting to explain any further. She could see Hakkaku and Ginta approaching from far off in the distance.

"Well, you'll hafta tell me about it sometime…After I defeat Naraku. Well Kagome, so long," the wolf said in farewell, giving her a brash smile before sprinting away with incredible speed. Kagome was relieved that his companions had caught up to them at that particular moment.

"Koga!" groaned Hakkaku in exhausted frustration. "Wait up!"

"Hey sis," Ginta panted as came to a halt in front of her. "I think I'm going to catch my breath a moment."

"Me too," wheezed Hakkaku, doubling over a bit as he tried to slow his breathing.

"So, Koga smelled Naraku too, huh?" Kagome inquired contemplatively. Ginta nodded in reply. "Sesshomaru detected his scent a few days ago now, but he still hasn't returned. I really hope he's okay."

Hakkaku and Ginta exchanged uneasy glances. If Sesshomaru couldn't survive an encounter with Naraku, it was doubtful that Koga would fare much better. The two wolves were well aware of the inuyoukai's skillful abilities.

"We ran into Inuyasha a day or so back. They're following his scent too," Ginta remarked off-handedly. Kagome felt relieved that Inuyasha and her friends hadn't reached Naraku's castle yet, it meant they were still safe. It also meant that if something had happened to Sesshomaru, there was still some sort of hope for rescue. "I wonder why he's so easy to find all of a sudden," Ginta continued pensively.

"Uh, it's probably just like the boss said," Hakkaku interjected rolling his eyes at his brother. "It's got to be Naraku's time of weakness. Just like last time."

Kagome shook her head no. "I don't think so, guys. Sesshomaru said that something was wrong. That it was different this time. I'm not sure what he means, but I trust his instincts. I'd be careful. Be sure to stay on your guard. And don't let Koga do anything too rash," she added thoughtfully. Again the pair exchanged nervous glances.

"Uh, we better be off then," Ginta said in farewell, looking off in the distance to see if he could spot Koga.

"Yeah…See ya Sis," Hakkaku added waving as he tore off running into the forest. Kagome smiled as she watched the pair of them trying desperately to catch up to their leader. Some things never did change.


	20. It's A Trap!

**A/N: Again, I would like to thank my reviewers for taking the time out of their day to make me feel appreciated! I would also like to thank all my readers and those who added me to alerts/favorites! I'm glad you are enjoying my fanfic. I'm actually really pleased with this chapter! Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

It had been a week since Sesshomaru had left Kagome and the others, and the inuyoukai was dying to return to her. As he stood, watching the goings on at Naraku's castle under the cover of complete darkness, he could not get thoughts of the young woman out of his head. Her smile, her laugh, the way she moved, the way she smelled, the softness of her delicate skin, the taste of her lips when she pressed them against his…it all invaded his mind, distracting him from the task currently at hand.

The Demon Lord inhaled sharply, closing his eyes and clearing his mind. He needed to focus. He listened to the chirping of the crickets, calling out to one another and to the rustle of leaves being teased by the late spring breeze. He could feel the humidity of the balmy night settle against his skin and the faint tingle of the nearby barrier. He could smell the trees and the dirt and the rancid odor of Naraku that ran rampant through the air, and, off in the distance, his sensitive nose could detect the scent of wolf.

There had been little to no discernible movement about Naraku's castle since Sesshomaru began his stakeout. No one had come, and no one had gone, but the barrier had remained destabilized. Sesshomaru was now certain that it was a trap Naraku had set to ensnare his enemies, and the inuyoukai had no intention of find himself caught in it. A week was far too long for Naraku's barrier to be weakened by his time of enfeeblement.

His thoughts returned to the priestess he had left behind. He wondered if she was safe. He felt a momentary surge of panic as he suddenly considered the thought that this was a trap to lure him away from her, so she would be unprotected and easily dispatched. But, as far as Sesshomaru had seen, no one had left the castle, and as far as he knew, no one, save Inuyasha and his three companions, was even aware the woman was traveling with him.

As he sat there pondering her well being, he understood what it was to truly miss someone. He had hoped they could spend the days following her return from Inuyasha's company in a very different manner. After so much time spent controlling his desires for the human, to have to leave her so soon after giving way to his feelings was very near to torture. Especially since, he didn't get to spend the evening with her in all the ways he so desired. His mind began to wander, as unseemly thoughts of the woman's perfect form danced through his mind.

He shook the lusty thoughts from his mind. His lack of control when it came to the woman was certain to get him killed if he kept letting it get the best of him. It was better to focus on the problem at hand and worry about pleasures of the flesh after his duty was attended to. If he spent too much time daydreaming he could very well miss any movements taking place in or around the castle, and even the slightest change could be of significant importance.

x.X.x

"Kagura," Naraku called from his personal chambers inside his castle. He was enjoying involving the woman in his newly concocted plan as it pained her greatly to know of Sesshomaru's involvement with the human, Kagome. Now that everything was in motion, the wind sorceress would come face to face with the fact that the Youkai Lord had no interest in her whatsoever. The warped hanyou could not express in words how much delight his incarnation's suffering caused him.

"What is it?" she spat irritably, padding into the room silently. She hated Naraku more than ever for tormenting her thusly. He already possessed her heart, and now he was so excited to see it broken.

"Are our plans on track? What have you seen in Kanna's mirror?" he demanded eagerly. This was by far the cruelest plan he had ever contrived. It was even crueler than pitting Inuyasha and Kikyo against each other. At least jealousy had been his motivation in that instance. This was just for his own twisted entertainment. He could not help the cruel smile that formed upon his lips at that thought.

"The wolf is nearing the castle, and Inuyasha and his friends aren't far behind," she hesitated a moment before continuing on. For a brief moment, Kagura considered lying to him, but he was certain to discover her treachery if she did. He wouldn't hesitate to end her life if she betrayed him once more. It wouldn't matter either way. Utsuro knew the inuyoukai's position and was on his way to capture the priestess.

"What about Sesshomaru?" Naraku inquired pointedly, sensing her reluctance to finish her statement.

"He is outside the barrier, watching. He seems to possess the knowledge that the weakened barrier is a ruse, for he will not enter to investigate any further," she replied woodenly. She hated herself for having any part in this foul plan of Naraku's.

"That won't matter once we have the woman. Is she within Utsuro's possession yet?" he queried further. He knew Sesshomaru was bound to come for Kagome once he became of aware of the fact that she was in danger.

"Almost," Kagura answered. "He is waiting until she is away from the rest of her companions to avoid any trouble from the beast of burden that travels with Sesshomaru. He has decided the beast is more powerful and intelligent than it seems."

"Have Kanna notify me when she is in our grasp and remove yourself from my presence at once," he commanded curtly. Naraku was certain he had never been more thrilled with himself in the entirety of his existence. It was finally the priestess's turn to be broken, just as he had broken her friends before her. He would crush her spirit like a spider under foot.

Kagura bowed stiffly and all but ran from the room, grateful to be away from the fiend. Not only was he overjoyed at the pain of his enemies, he also delighted in the suffering of those allied with him. The hanyou was simply monstrous. How was it possible that she was an incarnation of that foul beast? She almost shuddered at the thought.

x.X.x

The hot spring sun hung high in the mid-afternoon sky, beating down mercilessly upon those unfortunate enough to be underneath it. Kagome fanned herself lazily wondering why the weather was so unusually hot for the time of year. It was almost May, and it would soon be monsoon season. She hoped Sesshomaru had somewhere other than the middle of the woods to leave his traveling companions once the weather turned inclement. She was less disposed to colds and illness than most, but she wasn't sure her immune system could handle the entire rainy season out of doors.

She sighed as she thought about the Youkai Lord. She missed him dearly. She wondered if he had come across Koga yet. The wolf had visited the day before, but with the shards in his legs, Koga was definitely fast enough to be near Sesshomaru and Naraku's castle by now, which meant that Inuyasha probably wasn't far behind the wolf. She hoped all of her friends would be all right.

"Lady Kagome!" Rin's cheerful voice interrupted the woman's thoughts as the girl took a seat next to her.

"What is it Rin?" Kagome asked in reply, trying very hard not to snap at the girl. The miko could feel a headache coming on. All of her worrying was starting to take its toll, but she couldn't help it. She had barely been able to eat or sleep since Sesshomaru had left, and when she did manage to drift off, her rest was plagued with ghastly nightmares.

"When is Lord Sesshomaru going to be back?" she inquired, assuming that Kagome had more knowledge about the Youkai Lord's situation than she did.

"I wish I knew…" Kagome replied pensively. She rubbed her aching temples gently between her thumb and middle finger closing her eyes in momentary relief. Then, more to herself, added, "He's been gone awhile now. I hope he's safe."

"Lord Sesshomaru is very strong!" Rin interposed assuredly. "He will have no trouble defeating his enemies!"

Kagome wished she could be as confident as the young girl was. Naraku was a lot more dangerous than Rin's immature mind could grasp. She was certain the hanyou would be difficult to defeat, even for someone as strong as Sesshomaru.

"Yes Rin, I'm sure you're right," Kagome replied, trying to stay as optimistic about the situation as she could. "Hey, would you want to take Jaken and Ah-Un and go catch some fish for dinner tonight? I'll go find some herbs so we can season the fish, and maybe even pick some berries for dessert!"

Jaken, who had been keeping to himself up until this point, decided that his opinions were necessary and began to argue with Kagome's suggestion. Standing to his full, yet diminutive, height the imp glared at her as if he were issuing a challenge. Kagome took a deep breath, reminding herself to keep her fists unclenched as the imp began to speak.

"Ah and Un can protect Rin just fine, and she is plenty capable of catching enough fish for all of us," he squawked stridently. It took all of Kagome's willpower not to roll her eyes at him. Most days she almost felt it was impossible to resist the urge to purify the annoying little beast, and today was no exception. "If Lord Sesshomaru knew I let you wander off into the woods unprotected, he would surely have my head!"

"Fine," Kagome conceded in exasperation. Kagome was not desirous of any company, especially not the pushy toad. His strident voice was already starting to make her previously pounding head hurt even worse. "Rin and Ah-Un will go catch some fish, and Jaken, you and I will go forage for herbs."

"Oh-Kay!" Rin replied exuberantly, skipping off to the nearest stream, Ah and Un lumbering slowly behind her contentedly. The priestess smiled to herself at the girl's lively behavior, watching her small ponytail bounce and her dark locks sway as she continued to hop away. She was always so happy to do anything and everything. Kagome wished she could be more like that.

"Come along Jaken," Kagome sighed trying to keep her vexation with the imp out of her voice as they walked the opposite way that Rin had gone, deeper into the forest. She had really just wanted to be alone with her thoughts. If she was lucky, the little green youkai would have nothing further to say to her.

"Hmph!" the toad harrumphed, cross that a human was ordering him around as if he was a child. This time Kagome didn't even bother trying not to roll her eyes. She sighed to herself quietly. At least he hadn't said anything else.

x.X.x

From a branch high up in a leafy tree, completely obscured from view, a lanky man with shaggy black hair was observing the priestess and her diminutive companion. He knew it was time. The two-headed dragon was finally away from the woman, and the imp would pose no challenge to one such as himself. He would capture her easily, and she would be in his master's grasp by sun down. Naraku would be most pleased with him.


	21. Kagome Caught in Utsuro's Grasp

**A/N: Sorry it took me so long to finish this chapter. I got slammed at work, and that's where I do all of my fanfiction writing, since I usually have a ton of free time. Oh well, at least I managed to get it up at all! Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

Kagome ground her teeth in frustration as she listened to Jaken's interminable squawking. Did he ever stop complaining? The priestess doubted it.

She really had just wanted to be alone. It was bad enough that his shrill voice was exacerbating her headache, but he was interrupting what was supposed to be her alone time. Sometimes a girl just needed break from the people around her, but no one here seemed to realize that.

"I don't understand why Lord Sesshomaru leaves me in the company of humans all the time. He used to take me with him wherever he went, and now I'm stuck foraging for herbs," the vexing imp wailed miserably.

"I'm sure it's because he expects you to protect us, Jaken," Kagome offered in a consoling tone. She had a more biting remark in the back of her mind, but she couldn't stand to hear any more whining. "He needs someone he can trust to keep us weak, pathetic humans safe."

Kagome hoped it sounded convincing. She had managed not to roll her eyes at least. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him perk up a bit.

"You're right! He does trust me enough for such an important task! Although, I don't understand why the lives of mere humans are so important, but if Lord Sesshomaru wills it, than it must be so," he exclaimed, his ugly face twisting into cheerful smile.

"Well, then little imp, protect the human," a baritone voice called mockingly as a tall man stepped out from behind the bushes behind the pair. Jaken jumped and whirled around to face him, and Kagome contorted her body to observe from where she was kneeling.

Kagome immediately tensed as she studied the man standing before them. He was broad-shouldered and modestly dressed, with long, stick-straight hair that was as black as coal. Behind his black eyes, she saw nothing; no joy, no hate, no fear. Instinctively she knew that this man was a demon, and that he was pure evil. But it was strange…He had no demonic aura. Shouldn't she have sensed his presence? She should have at least sensed that something was wrong. Generally her intuition was pretty good.

Frantically, she realized that she had become complacent in her travels with Sesshomaru and company. Kagome dropped the herbs she had been clutching in her filthy hands and rose to her disoriented feet, knowing full well she had left her bow and arrows back at the encampment. She was exposed, caught off guard and without weaponry. She really would have to rely on the imp for protection. She fervently hoped he could offer a sufficient amount.

Jaken had taken up his staff immediately after hearing the stranger's derisive voice. Like Kagome, he could not sense a demonic aura emanating from the creature standing before him. The man didn't even have a scent. It was as if he wasn't even real.

"Who are you?" Jaken demanded, trying to keep his strident voice even. He was terrified, but he dared not show it. Sesshomaru had left him to protect the woman, and that was what he would do. But, this demon was unlike any he had ever come across. There was a strange blackness about him, and he almost seemed to be draining the life from the surrounding forest, as if he was empty and trying to fill himself with anything that he could.

"I am Utsuro," the demon replied monotonously, bowing gracefully. His hair cascaded gracefully over his shoulders, the tips of it tickling the ground. Kagome gasped with horror as she noticed every green spot those wicked strands touched turning brown instantly. "I am yet another of Naraku's incarnations, and I am here to capture the woman and take her to his castle."

"What does Naraku want with me?" Kagome inquired shakily, panic rising from deep within in her chest. He was being so casual about the situation, just laying it out in the open. It was as if he knew there was no way he would fail at his task. His confidence was unnerving.

Utsuro did not deign to reply. Instead his arms began to grow longer as he reached out for the priestess. She backed away, slowly at first, before she turned around and began to run as fast as she could toward the encampment. If she could just get her bow, maybe she could purify this strange creature.

"You will not take her!" Jaken screeched as thunderously as he could. He called upon his Staff of Two-Heads and flame burst forth from the wizened face of the old man sitting atop the staff. It appeared to Jaken that he was thoroughly encasing the demon in flame, but an unsettling peal of empty laughter sent chills through his entire being.

"Little imp, your flames will not harm a hollow man," Utsuro remarked once the blaze had disappeared. To Jaken's dismay, the demon looked bigger somehow, and his chest was puffed out as though he were holding his breath.

Panting heavily, Kagome looked behind her to see the demon blowing fire out of his mouth, his chest deflating as the flames enveloped the diminutive vassal that had always followed Sesshomaru so loyally. The only thing left where Jaken had been standing was blackened scar upon the forest floor, the imp's staff lying next to his final resting place unceremoniously.

"Jaken!" the woman cried out, grieved by what she had just witnessed. As grating as Jaken could be, Kagome would never wish his fate upon anyone. Rin would be heartbroken, and she imagined Sesshomaru would not be pleased with the news either.

Rin! The girl's cheery face suddenly invaded Kagome's mind. She couldn't run back to their encampment. If Rin was back from her fishing trip with Ah-Un, she would be putting the girl in serious danger. That was something Sesshomaru would never forgive and Kagome would never allow. Panting, she changed her route, the strange elastic-y arms of Utsuro still following behind her.

Sweat beaded on her brow as she ran, panting heavily. She was out of shape from lazing about with Rin all day. He legs were beginning to feel like jell-o, and her strides were becoming wobbly. A painful stitch in her side began to throb uncontrollably, threatening to cause her to double over. But, her overwhelming desire for self-preservation overruled her pain, and she continued to run as fast as her legs would carry her.

Fearfully she looked behind her to see if she was still being followed. She could see the arms, wound through the greenery of the thick groupings of trees, stretching interminably. As she looked back, her foot snagged a knobby tree root, sticking high out of the ground, and she collapsed out of breath, realizing that there was no escape. She would be Naraku's prisoner. Kagome shuddered at the thought, wondering if being dead would be better.

She screamed as she felt the arms close around her tightly, and she began to struggle as forcefully as she could manage. They were neither warm nor cold, and she soon understood why there was nothing discernible about the demon whatsoever. As she felt herself being drawn into Utsuro's body, she realized that he was completely hollow.

She grasped the root of the tree she had tripped over, trying to pull herself away from the demon. As she continued to struggle, she thought about Rin. Would the little girl be all right without Kagome there? Would she find what was left of Jaken? Kagome fervently hoped she wouldn't worry too much, but she had a feeling that, without Jaken or herself around to reassure the girl, there would be nothing else for Rin to do.

She gave up on trying to pull herself out of the flesh that was encasing her body, and instead twisted around and began to punch at it as hard as could. She could hear Utsuro laughing the futility of her actions. He was up passed her waist now. Soon she would be completely covered, and he would be on his way back to his master.

Hot tears were now streaming freely down Kagome's face as she attacked the demon absorbing her body into his. She clawed at him desperately, but it was to no avail. Her only hope now was that Sesshomaru would not be caught up in whatever trap Naraku had laid for them. She prayed that he would be safe, no matter what happened to her.

x.X.x

Sesshomaru hadn't moved from the spot from which he had been observing the goings on at Naraku's castle. He had seen more movement on this day than he had the entire week he had been watching. Earlier that morning, a wolf demon and two of his tribesmen had gallivanted brashly through Naraku's weakened barrier. Shortly thereafter, his half-brother and human companions followed, also running through the barrier toward the castle, not even pausing to consider the possibility of a trap. He could hear the distant battle that now ensued.

For a moment, Sesshomaru toyed around with the idea of aiding in the battle now taking place inside Naraku's castle. It was unlikely that he, Sesshomaru, would become so easily embroiled in a trap set for his inept brother, and it might even get him a chance to slay Naraku once and for all. But then again, how did he know if Naraku was actually there at his castle. His incarnations all possessed the same scent, and it could be pointless for him to rush headlong into a battle that wasn't even his.

Plus, he desperately missed Kagome. His longing to see her had grown a considerable amount. He missed her cheery companionship and the sweet taste of her lips. He also missed his ward, and he was certain both the woman and the young girl were yearning to see him as well.

He had almost settled upon leaving when his delicate nose caught a whiff of a scent remarkably like Kagome's, catching him completely off guard. He sniffed the air again. The scent was faint, but there was no doubt, it was Kagome's. Completely alert, he scanned the area surrounding the castle, his keen eyes honing in on every minute bit of movement he saw.

Finally, he spotted something. A tall, dark-haired man was moving rapidly out of the dense forest and toward Naraku's castle. Strangely, the man had no aura, nor did he seem to have any scent or sign of life whatsoever. It was quite an anomaly.

Suspiciously, Sesshomaru observed the man intently. There seemed to be nothing of import about him, except for the speed to which he was traveling toward Naraku's castle. But then, for a brief second, Sesshomaru caught a glimpse of a dainty hand protruding from the man's chest, before it was absorbed back into his chest. Kagome's scent filled the area for a moment and then disappeared as quickly as the hand had vanished.

That man had taken Kagome captive. His Kagome. He had taken her captive, and now he was delivering her to Naraku. Sesshomaru now understood Naraku's plans.

The conniving hanyou had lured him away from Kagome's side, and he had gone off without thinking and left her without adequate protection. Now she was in Naraku's grasp. He could feel himself seething with feral rage as he flew toward the castle with unmatched speed.

Naraku would pay for his indiscretions. He would pay with his life, and Sesshomaru would be the one to take it. The Kami help anyone who tried to stop him.


	22. Naraku's Plans Revealed

**A/N: Okay, I know some of you were probably hoping for a battle scene this chapter, and I hate that I had to disappoint in that aspect once again, but I promise it's coming soon! I was just setting up for the twist that Naraku always has to throw in there, because he's an evil, devious jerk! At least he always keeps things interesting. Hope you all enjoy!  
P.S. Thanks to all my reviewers! You guys rock!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

Icy talons of sheer panic clawed at Sesshomaru as he raced toward Naraku's hateful domicile. His heart was pounding more furiously in his chest than he ever thought possible and his eyes began to bleed red. He could barely detect the green blur of trees as he flew past them, nor could he hear the call of the birds in the open sky above him. He was singularly focused.

Sesshomaru could count on his one hand the number of times in his life he could actually remember being truly afraid, and even those few were far between. He found it a foreign emotion, to say the least, but at the moment, his fear for Kagome's well-being was the only thought prevalent within his mind. He slowed his pace slightly as he entered the castle grounds through the tingling barrier. The Youkai Lord was prepared for anything, or so he thought.

The scene that unfolded before Sesshomaru as he reached Naraku's castle was a gruesome spectacle. Hundreds of slaughtered demons littered the otherwise barren ground, their blood staining the muddy brown earth a deep red. The scent of slaughter was so heavy in the air that Sesshomaru could taste the acrid mix of dry dust and coppery blood thick on his tongue.

Inuyasha stood gripping his Tetsusaiga tightly in anticipation of the next onslaught of demons. The hanyou was battered, and a deep gash in his left shoulder was oozing blood, but it seemed that the wound was already starting to clot and would soon be on the mend. He was, by far, in better shape than his other companions.

The monk had fallen unconscious and was sweating profusely. Sesshomaru surmised that the foolish man had used the wind tunnel in his hand only to be met with Naraku's poison insects, as the Demon Lord had seen happen before. The demon slayer was bloodied and obviously exhausted, but she and her limping two-tail were sparing no efforts in furiously protecting the comatose monk.

As he watched her stand at the ready for the oncoming wave of demons, the inuyoukai suddenly felt a sense of camaraderie with the tired demon slayer. She, like him, would, and was doing, anything she possibly could to protect the one she loved. The grim look of determination plastered upon her pale face mirrored Sesshomaru's own feelings about recovering Kagome from the evil half-breed who had kidnapped her. Both the slayer and the Youkai Lord would fight valiantly, using every ounce of their strength, until they were dead or their loved one was safe.

On the opposite side of the battlefield, the wolf was sporting many injuries of his own. His arms were dripping blood from various cuts in his arms, and there was a gaping hole in left leg where a jewel shard had once been. Despite these wounds, the wolf was still standing tenaciously, with clenched fists, as he waited for the next assault.

Vaguely the Demon Lord noticed the absence of the fox kit. Kagome would have been pleased. His thoughts then shifted to his young ward. He was momentarily overcome by a wave of worried nausea. If they had taken Kagome, what had become of little Rin? He dispelled the thought immediately. Kagome would have done everything in her power to make sure the girl was safe. She was probably somewhere with Jaken and Ah-Un, scared, but safe. Yes, she had to be safe. The inuyoukai fervently hoped that this was the case.

"So kind of you to finally join us, Sesshomaru," Naraku mocked from the entrance of his castle. Standing next to him was the man that had kidnapped Kagome. Immediately, Sesshomaru reached for his Tokijin.

"Where is she?" he growled menacingly, his eyes red with fury. The sharp ring of steel filled the air as Tokijin cleared its scabbard, the inuyoukai gripping the hilt so tightly that his knuckles were white. Naraku looked increasingly pleased by Sesshomaru's question.

"Ah, a familiar situation, isn't it? Although, this time you're chasing after a different girl," he taunted with an arrogant smirk. Inuyasha's ears perked at Naraku's comment as he came to the realization that Kagome was the topic of conversation. "Your pesky humans always seem to be getting themselves caught up in some sort of trouble. I don't know why you even bother with rescuing them."

"Where is she?" Sesshomaru reiterated, his voice dangerously low. He was shaking with rage as he pointed his gleaming blade at Naraku.

Inuyasha was surprised by the intense emotion radiating from his brother. He had never seen Sesshomaru when he was neither cool nor collected, and the sight was as unnerving to the hanyou as his own demonic transformation had been to his elder brother. Kagome truly was important to the Youkai Lord after all.

"I would advise against attempting to use your weapon against me, Sesshomaru," Naraku remarked, still smirking. "It would be utterly ineffective, as Utsuro would, without hesitation or doubt, move to shield me from your attack. His absorption of your blows would be more fatal to the priestess you are so intent on saving, and were that to happen, then none of us would get what we wanted, now would we? It would most assuredly put a damper on my evening's entertainment."

As Naraku spoke, the flesh on his newest incarnation's face seemed to peel away revealing the eerily peaceful face of an unconscious Kagome. Sesshomaru was relieved to see that she was still breathing. Horror crossed both Inuyasha and Koga's faces upon seeing Kagome in Naraku's hateful grasp.

"What have you done to her, you bastard?" Inuyasha demanded angrily, dashing forward to get at Utsuro with his Tetsusaiga. With a swift flash of steel, he was halted by the flat of Tokijin's thick blade hitting him firmly across the chest.

"Inuyasha, stop," Sesshomaru demanded, his voice, now calm and calculating, was devoid of the rage he had recently expressed. It appeared to Inuyasha that his brother had returned to the cold Sesshomaru that he was more accustomed to.

The inuyoukai had realized that his fury was clouding his judgment. Had he ran in swinging his sword wildly as Inuyasha was about to do, he could have killed Kagome. This was more than a battle of brawn and steel, it was a battle of wits, and he, Lord Sesshomaru, was the only demon on the battlefield that possessed any. But even his immense intellect seemed to be failing him. He would have to play along with Naraku's game until he detected a flaw.

"What are you doing, you moron? You went and got her captured, and now you won't let me save her? My Tetsusaiga will cut that pathetic demon to ribbons around Kagome." Inuyasha snapped irritably, rubbing at the stinging sensation the Tokijin had left across his chest. He could not understand his brother's change of heart. Why was he suddenly so unwilling to rush to her aid?

Koga was also caught off guard by Sesshomaru's demand. If the Youkai Lord wasn't going to save her, he definitely would, no matter how grievous his injuries. Just because he could boss the mutt around, didn't mean he could tell Koga what to do. The wolf charged Naraku's incarnation as quickly as his injured leg would allow, his fists clenched so tightly that his claws dug deeply into his palms drawing blood.

"That demon is hollow. Any damage you inflict will be absorbed, and Kagome will receive the blow instead. Attempting to rescue her through force would most probably kill her," Sesshomaru called out, stopping the wolf dead in his tracks, a thick cloud of dust at his feet as he skidded to a halt. The last thing Koga wanted was to injure the woman he loved.

"Ah, Sesshomaru, you always were the clever brother," Naraku taunted scathingly. "Far too clever to fall in love with something so fragile as a human, or so I always thought. I guess your young traveling companion was a clear sign that you were becoming soft."

Both Inuyasha and Koga were stunned by Naraku's assertion. Inuyasha could not imagine his brother in love with anyone, let alone Kagome, and Koga could not believe that he had even more competition for the woman's heart. Sesshomaru's pallid face remained unaffected by the despicable half demon's accusations. Naraku could taunt the inuyoukai all he wanted, but it mattered not. All that mattered was Kagome. Kagome needed to be rescued…needed to be safe…needed to be in his arms, not in Naraku's trap.

"What do you want, Naraku?" the Demon Lord implored stoically, bored with the hanyou's arrogance. "I will gladly trade places with her, if that is your wish. You can absorb me, as long as she may live. Is that your goal?"

Inuyasha was beside himself. Sesshomaru was offering his life in exchange for Kagome's? Was he really in love with the woman after all? The hanyou found himself experiencing an inexplicable range of emotions. Green tendrils of jealousy coursed through his entire being, but he was also relieved that there was someone else who loved to Kagome to help save her. They were going to need all the help they could get, even if it was from his bastard of a half-brother.

"As tempting as the offer is, _Lord_ Sesshomaru, I have a better idea," Naraku replied grinning broadly at the derisive emphasis he had placed on the youkai's title. "You see, here we have three suitors attempting to rescue the poor kidnapped Kagome and win her heart," Naraku continued with feigned sympathy. "How romantic. What I propose is a duel to the death. The victor can have the woman. I promise I'll hand her over…as long as two of you are dead."

"What?" Inuyasha exclaimed alarmed. He looked around at Koga and Sesshomaru. Koga was as stunned as he was as the wolf stood, wearied and dripping sweat and hot blood onto the dusty ground below, but his elder brother maintained perfect composure.

Sesshomaru had already figured out that the despicable hanyou had lured all of them there for a reason. His plan to pit the three demons against each other was a surprise to the Demon Lord, but it was very much Naraku's manipulative style. Both the evil hanyou and inuyoukai knew that Kagome would despise whoever survived the battle for murdering people she cared about on her behalf. If this duel was allowed to take place, it would not have a happy ending, but Sesshomaru had made up his mind. If it came down to the lives of his brother and the wolf or the life of the priestess, he would end the two without a second thought and let Kagome live her life hating him. At least she would be alive that way.

"Oh come now, Inuyasha, don't look so surprised. This gives you the perfect chance to end your lifelong rivalry with your brother and win back the woman that he stole from you. You'll finally get the chance to prove you he's no better than you, despite his being full demon," Naraku remarked, pleased by the hanyou's shock." And you'll get to put that annoying wolf down, like you've always wanted to do. Assuming, you manage to come out of the fight victorious."

"And if we refuse this offer?" Sesshomaru inquired, regretting the question as soon as it had left his lips.

"Oh… You wouldn't want to do that," Naraku replied, releasing a deep purple cloud of miasma into the air. Utsuro began to absorb it as his face started to reform over Kagome's. The last thing the three demons heard before Utsuro's face completely covered the woman's was her choking coughs as she attempted to breathe through Naraku's poisonous miasma. There was no choice. It was them or her.


	23. Showdown! Sesshomaru vs Inuyasha vs Koga

**A/N: So... It's about damn time, right? I'm not going to make any excuses for taking so long, but I will say sorry for taking so long. I probably lost most of my readers, but hopefully some of you will forgive me and come back, and maybe I will get some new ones along the way. This fic is taking me forever, but I am determined to finish it. Just so any loyal readers that I may (but probably don't) still have know, I have gone through and updated my chapters for a third time. Yep. Three times now. I changed a little bit around and added quite a bit. My new goal is at least 2000 words per chapter so you will have more to enjoy. And without further to do, on to my latest update! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

"Kagome! Kagome, wake up!" a familiar voice urged the slumbering girl. Someone was nudging at her shoulder persistently.

"Inuyasha, leave me alone," she mumbled sleepily, batting at the offending arm. For a moment, she almost dozed off, but her hazy mind had come to a sudden conclusion. It was not Inuyasha's voice she had heard. She bolted straight up and surveyed her surroundings.

She was at home in her bedroom, her soft pink comforter pooling around her waist. Sunlight streamed in through her four-paned window, leaving four bright, warm spots upon the tatami floor. She rose from her bed looking at her younger brother, Souta, curiously.

"How did I get here?" she asked him incredulously. She couldn't remember coming home from the Feudal Era. Come to think of it, she couldn't remember what exactly she was doing in the Feudal Era before she woke up here. It was as though she had woken up with parts and pieces of her memory missing.

"Uh…You live here," replied her brother giving her a look as if she were crazy. "Who's Inuyasha?"

"What do you mean, 'Who's Inuyasha?'" Kagome demanded, glaring at her brother. Why was he playing dumb games with her so early in the morning? "You know…Half demon…From the Feudal Era… You're the one who idolizes him so much."

"Uh, okay sis," Souta replied still looking at her peculiarly. "You must have been having some dream. Mom said to tell you breakfast was ready. You better hurry up and get ready, or you're going to be late for school."

What was going on? Kagome watched her brother leave her room shaking his head at her strange behavior. He really didn't remember Inuyasha? Come to think of it, she almost couldn't place his face. But, she had fallen down the well on her fifteenth birthday. Something to do with a scorpion… No! A centipede! And there was a boy with silver hair and dog ears pinned to a tree by an arrow. That was Inuyasha. The more Kagome thought about it, the more it sounded like some fantastical dream.

Kagome quickly changed out of her pajamas and into her school uniform, making sure to grab her yellow backpack before running down the stairs. The appetizing smell of rice and fish was wafting its way through the house, making Kagome's stomach grumble with hunger. Her mother was sitting at the table with her brother and her grandfather, all of them waiting for Kagome.

"Oh wow mom!" Kagome gasped in delight. "I haven't had a real breakfast in so long!"

Her mom chuckled at her daughter jovially and replied, "At least not since I made you breakfast yesterday morning, dear."

"I was home yesterday morning?" Kagome exclaimed in disbelief. She couldn't remember being home the previous morning. She couldn't actually remember much of anything before waking up this morning. Something strange was going on, but Kagome couldn't put her finger on it.

"Of course you were," her mother answered as Kagome sat down and began filling her plate. "Where else would you have been?"

"The…Feudal…Era…of…course," Kagome replied between mouthfuls of her mother's delicious cooking. Her mother gave her a puzzled look.

"Kagome's been having some really weird dreams," Souta interjected rolling his eyes at his older sister.

"You really don't remember that I've been traveling to the Feudal Era since my fifteenth birthday?" she exclaimed flabbergasted. "I was missing for days! And you're telling me none of you remember Inuyasha?"

"Kagome, are you feeling okay?" her mother asked, a worried look resting upon her soft features. "Maybe you should stay home from school today."

"I'm fine, mom. Just…Something really weird is going on. It's like none of you remember that I've been traveling in the Feudal Era for the past three years," she replied, hoping they would stop looking at her like she was insane.

"Three years?" her mother queried, a troubled look on her face. "Honey, your fifteenth birthday was yesterday. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah…" Kagome mumbled, not believing her ears. She suddenly found she had lost her appetite. "I guess Souta was right. I was just having some strange dreams last night."

"Got that right," her brother snorted, raising his eyebrows irreverently. Kagome glared at him icily.

"I think…I'm going to head to school now," Kagome said after a long silence. "May I be excused?"

"You haven't finished your breakfast," her grandfather chided her disapprovingly.

"Oh let her go," her mother interrupted. "She probably wants to see her friends before class."

Kagome rose from the table and bid her farewells to her family. She slipped her shoes on at the door and shouldered her oversized backpack. She had decided that before she started off to school, she would visit the well. Maybe she could get through and break whatever enchantment was making her family act so bizarrely.

It was sunny as she left her house, and all the plant life surrounding the shrine was vivid and green. She could hear the zooming of cars from the street in front of the shrine and see the gleaming glass of the tall buildings of the city. It all felt wrong. How could it be wrong? Civilization was normal. It was going into the past that was wrong. Maybe her exploits in the Feudal Era really were a dream after all.

Before she realized it, she was standing in front of the small, antiquated wood building that the well was inside. She pulled open the creaking door and stared into the blackness of the well for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she descended the steps.

_'Okay, it's now or never,'_ she told herself uncertainly, suddenly feeling incredibly nervous. _'Time to see if I'm crazy or not.'_

Closing her eyes, she leapt down the well, before she could talk herself out of jumping. She felt as though she was falling forever before she hit ground. Opening her eyes, she was still in the well. The old, moldy smell of the well-room was still thick in the air. There was still a roof over her head. She was definitely not in the Feudal Era, and to top it off, now she was covered with dust. She climbed up the well and dusted herself off.

_'That must have been some dream,'_ she told herself as she continued on her way to school, still feeling as though the pieces of her puzzle weren't quite locking into place. She shrugged. She was probably just having an off day.

x.X.x

"So let me get this straight," Inuyasha sneered, glaring at Naraku. "You send all your demons to wear out me and the wolf here, and then let Sesshomaru, who hasn't broke a sweat yet, in on this little duel. Seems kinda unfair."

"Scared, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru taunted coldly. His mind was working quickly on a plan to save Kagome without killing either of her friends. For now, he had to play Naraku's game. It was best not to provoke the demented hanyou even further. As it was, Kagome had little more than an hour with that miasma coursing through Utsuro.

The Youkai Lord knew he would kill them if he had to, but he wasn't certain that would get him Kagome back from Naraku. If it did, she would hate him, but still be alive, but if it didn't he would be without allies and without Kagome. Every time the youkai conceived a plausible scenario, an outcome far worse than the loss of Inuyasha and the wolf resulted. It was as though he had hit an impenetrable brick wall. Still, Sesshomaru continued racking his brain.

"Yeah, Inuyasha," Koga jeered, taking his fighting stance. "I may look worse off than you, but I could still take you, even without my jewel shards."

"Why you mangy wolf!" Inuyasha yelled, rushing at the wolf demon his Tetsusaiga raised high over his head. "Wind scar!"

Four blades of deadly wind scarred the bloodied earth where Koga had been standing. When the dust cleared, there was no sign of the wolf. Inuyasha straightened triumphantly, readying his sword to deal with his brother now.

"Easier than I thought," scoffed the overconfident hanyou.

"Hey stupid…You missed," Koga's voice rang out before his bare food collided with the half demon's face. Inuyasha hit the ground and skidded forward across the dirt trailed by a cloud of dust, but his grip tightened on the hilt of Tetsusaiga.

"You are wasting your time and energy fighting each other," Sesshomaru stated quietly. Both Koga and Inuyasha paused, turning their gaze on Naraku, waiting for him to hurt Kagome yet again courtesy of Sesshomaru. "You should worry about me before turning upon each other."

Both of them glared and rushed the inuyoukai simultaneously. Inuyasha began to swing his sword inelegantly, but Sesshomaru's light whip had pulled his feet out from under him before he followed through with the action. Koga was leaping through the air, but Sesshomaru twirled gracefully from the wolf's path before his foot made contact with any part of the inuyoukai's body. The wolf landed on his feet, skidding to a halt.

"What, afraid to take a hit, Sesshomaru?" Koga taunted turning to face the Youkai Lord.

"From one in such a pathetic state as yourself?" snorted Sesshomaru, rushing the wolf, his poison claws extended. He grazed the wolf's shoulder with the painful attack. Koga clutched at his arm, trying to ignore the searing pain.

"I do not intend to kill you, but we cannot let Naraku know this," Sesshomaru whispered to the wolf as he continued to attack him. The Demon Lord countered a flurry of kicks from the injured wolf.

"What, admitting your defeat already?" Koga scoffed at the inuyoukai, his endless barrage of kicks and punches being continuously deflected by Sesshomaru. He spun around momentarily to pull Inuyasha into the fray with a quick twist of his light whip. Inuyasha's arms were bound to his side.

"Kagome would not be pleased if any one of us were to perish. We need to think of something else," Sesshomaru murmured to the both of them. Before either could reply, Sesshomaru flung Inuyasha into Koga, knocking them both to the ground.

"Wolf, stay down for a moment. Inuyasha, come at me," Sesshomaru instructed, kicking the wolf in the ribs and sending him flying onto his back.

"With pleasure," Inuyasha hissed, curling his lip. Sesshomaru drew his Tokijin, and his sword met with Inuyasha's in a loud clash of steel. "So how do you suppose we save Kagome without tearing each other to shreds?" the hanyou inquired softly, grunting with the effort of battle. Quickly, Koga was on them, a swift kicked aimed for Sesshomaru's ribs was deflected easily by the flat of his Tokijin, a move which sent the wolf flying into one of the castle's many buildings. The structure collapsed in a heap of splintered wood and dust.

Inuyasha was tiring quickly. He had been battling for so long. First the endless onslaught of demons summoned from the sky, and now this. He hoped Sango was able to tend to Miroku while Naraku was busy enjoying this twisted duel to the death, the bastard. He was desperately hoping Sesshomaru had some sort of plan that didn't involve tricking and murdering him. The inuyoukai had seemed generally concerned about Kagome, after all. If he hadn't been, he would've already attacked Naraku with all he had. Still, something in the hanyou rebelled against putting any sort of trust in his frigid half-brother.

"How are her powers of purification?" Sesshomaru inquired quietly. He hoped that Naraku could not hear the sounds of their voices over the clashing of swords. Sesshomaru went to feint to the right as Inuyasha swung his sword, but changed his mind. He let the hanyou land a blow, slicing through his armor and biting painfully into his shoulder. The wound was only a few inches deep, but it made his sword more difficult to wield. It was of no consequence, the move had done its job. The deep red trickling down the white of Sesshomaru's haori had Naraku smiling to himself.

"Got you, you bastard!" Inuyasha shouted, giving his brother a look that said _'I hope you know what you're doing.'_

Koga was now staggering towards them, barely upright, but determined. Inuyasha leapt away from the inuyoukai and felled the wolf with a swift uppercut square underneath the wolf's already battered chin. The wolf lay unmoving on the ground at last, his breath ragged but still present.

"I'll kill you later," Inuyasha growled at the unconscious wolf, aiming another Windscar at Sesshomaru this time. Inuyasha waited for the brilliant flash of light to dissipate before determining where his brother had moved. The Windscar had destroyed yet another of the elegant buildings in its destructive wake and left even more ruts upon the barren earth. Sesshomaru came from behind him, thrusting his poisoned claws through the hanyou's already injured left shoulder. He screamed in pain.

_'Naraku better be enjoying the show,'_ Inuyasha thought hatefully as he clutched his wounded shoulder.

"I thought we weren't supposed to actually kill each other," spat the hanyou almost inaudibly, swinging his Tetsusaiga around behind him clumsily.

"You have not yet answered my question," the Demon Lord replied succinctly, blocking the blow easily, sending Inuyasha reeling as the metallic clash of fang on fang jarred his injured shoulder.

"They're pretty good if she's pissed off enough," Inuyasha grunted. "But she's gotta be awake."

"Well then we must find a way to wake her," Sesshomaru remarked to himself as he sent Inuyasha flying across the castle grounds. Again, the Demon Lord began racking his brain for the solutions to his problem. If they could somehow manage to wake her, she might be able to purify Utsuro and save herself from Naraku's grasp. The only problem was Utsuro was nothing. He was empty…hollow. Was it even possible for him to be purified?


	24. Lady Kikyo Joins the Fray

**A/N: You requested more, and I delivered. Thank you so much for reviews and all the adds to favorites/follows! You really know how to make a girl feel special! Hopefully you enjoy my latest installment! :D**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

Kagome sat behind her small faux-wood desk, tapping her pencil on her open math book absentmindedly as she gazed out the large classroom window at the city below. She was usually very focused in her studies, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. But what was it?

She had laughed and gossiped with Eri, Yuka and Ayume all morning. They had talked about boys, most notably Hojo, who Kagome was starting to realize, acted as interested in her as her friends had been saying for the past couple of months. The thought should have brought a blush to her cheeks, but it hadn't. She smiled and waved at the boy, but she felt like he was the wrong boy. There was someone else she was supposed to have feelings for.

She had momentarily thought of Inuyasha, but he wasn't real. He was a dream. All of that was a dream. It wasn't even a dream she could really remember at this point. Kagome's thoughts were interrupted by a familiar yet unexpected voice.

"Why you mangy wolf!" she heard Inuyasha yell. She jumped in her seat, looking around wildly for the source of the voice. Her expressive eyes were wide with surprise and her heart was racing.

"Something wrong Higurashi?" her teacher, who had been lecturing monotonously, inquired, evoking a delicate flush from the girl who now had all eyes on her.

"N…No, Sensei-sama. Sorry Sensei-sama," she apologized in embarrassment, smiling sheepishly and lowering her dark eyes.

_'Oh Kami, maybe I am going crazy,'_ the girl thought to herself. She could have sworn she had heard Inuyasha's voice, but that had to be impossible. No one else had jumped or looked around or acted like they heard anything out of the ordinary at all. Maybe she was just under too much stress. She had taken on quite a few challenging classes this year.

As the bell rang signaling the end of the school day, Kagome gathered her books from the top of her desk. She left the class and sauntered down the bustling halls in a daze before stopping at her dull gray locker. She shoved her math book haphazardly on top of the neatly lined books already in her locker, and grabbed her backpack, too distracted to fill it with any of the day's homework.

She started her walk home in a flurry of her own thoughts, only to be interrupted by Hojo walking his bike towards her. She gave him a small smile as he approached, but it was obvious even to the usually oblivious boy that her mind was somewhere else completely. He greeted her anyway.

"Hey Kagome! How are you today?" he asked giving her a warm smile.

"Oh, I'm good," she replied, her focus sharpening a bit. Some normal conversation was probably good for her. It might help her relax and get her mind off of her strange dream from the night before.

"Would you allow me to walk you home?" he asked chivalrously. Kagome smiled at him sweetly.

"Sure," she replied cheerfully, adjusting the bag resting on her shoulders so it sat more comfortably.

They walked side by side, Hojo walking his bike the entire way as he babbled on about his family and their business. Kagome listened politely, nodding her head every so often, but she having a difficult time paying attention. Suddenly, he stopped speaking. She looked up and noticed his mouth was still moving, but there was no sound.

"Afraid to take a hit, Sesshomaru?"

Kagome heard another voice, different from the one she had heard in the classroom. Again she stopped and looked around frantically, but there was no one on the sidewalk except for her and Hojo, who was now staring at her with a frown on his handsome face. He studied her face for a moment, his brows creased with worry.

"Are you okay, Kagome?" he inquired in concern, coming to a halt beside her.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," she apologized in discomfiture, studying the cracks in the sidewalk with intense concentration. "I thought I heard something, but it must have been my imagination. It's been running away with me lately."

"You're looking a little pale," Hojo remarked still frowning a bit. "Maybe we should get you home so you can lie down."

Kagome nodded her tacit reply and began walking, more slowly this time, again. Something about that voice was bothering her. Sesshomaru, the word evoked such strong feelings from her. Her stomach filled with butterflies and she felt her cheeks heat up for just a moment. Instinctively she traced her bottom lip with her forefinger. Was he part of her dream too?

At the steps of her family shrine, Kagome bid farewell to Hojo and trudged up the stone stairs still lost in thought. Kami, she was tired. These tricks her mind kept playing on her were exhausting. Before she knew it, Kagome was upstairs sprawled face down on her bed drifting in and out of consciousness.

As she slept, Kagome dreamt she was trapped, surrounded by absolute darkness. She couldn't see anything around her, but she could vaguely hear the reverberating strikes of sword clanging against sword. Now she was certain something was very wrong, but Kagome still wasn't sure what it was.

She could dimly remember Inuyasha and Kikyo embracing in the forest, but her memories after that were fuzzy. She had run, oh yes, she remembered running. She ran until she felt she couldn't run any more, and then there was…there was Sesshomaru. A brilliant image of him in all his perfection burst into her mind's eye. She had to get back to Sesshomaru.

She screamed as loud as she could, but no sound escaped her lips. She tried to move her arms and legs, but it was as if she was frozen in place. The more she tried to yell or struggle, the more difficult it became for her to breath. Terrified, helpless and hopeless, Kagome began to sob. She didn't stop until she felt someone petting her hair gently, whispering soothing words.

"Oh mom," Kagome cried, wrapping her arms around her mother's petite waist and laying her head in her lap. "Inuyasha didn't want me. He wanted Kikyo instead. And everything was dark. And I have…I have to…" she trailed off. She had to what? She couldn't quite remember any more.

"Oh, Kagome… Are you having more of those strange dreams?" her mother asked softly as she continued to run her graceful fingers through her daughter's silky hair. Kagome could only nod as she tried to bite back the tears that kept flowing. What was wrong with her?

x.X.x

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were both exhausted. Across the battlefield from the Demon Lord, the hanyou could barely keep his Tetsusaiga upright, and he was panting heavily. Sesshomaru remained outwardly placid, but he felt as bad as his half-brother looked. It took all of his willpower to remain standing straight, his shoulders back and his weapon held perfectly still in his hand.

The inuyoukai was running out of options and out of time. Soon Kagome would be suffocated by Naraku's miasma. He had to do something and soon.

He and Inuyasha had discussed every possibility the pair of them could think up, but it was to no avail. They had only managed to drag the confrontation out longer than Sesshomaru should have allowed. The battle couldn't continue any longer. He was going to have to kill Inuyasha and the unconscious wolf. If Kagome survived, she was going to hate him, but as long as she was alive, it wouldn't matter.

"Sorry brother, but your time in the world has grown short," Sesshomaru whispered his form of an apology inaudibly. He was going to make it quick. Inuyasha would never see it coming. He could at least do that for Kagome. There would be no more pain and suffering for her friends, just quick and easy demises for the both of them.

With a deep breath, Sesshomaru rushed Inuyasha, moving so quickly it was as though he had teleported behind the hanyou. With a quick thrust of his foot into the tender back of Inuyasha's knee, Sesshomaru had his younger brother kneeling in the dust in front of him. The inuyoukai raised his sword prepared to drive it through the hanyou's back and deep into his heart. Before he could thrust his Tokijin through the half demon, Sesshomaru's world disappeared in a flash of brilliant pink light.

As he lay on his back, trying to recover a multitude of thoughts ran through Sesshomaru's dazed mind. The first and foremost was that Kagome had just tried to purify him. She must have seen him about to slay Inuyasha and… Wait, no, that couldn't be right. Kagome was Naraku's prisoner. He blinked his amber eyes slowly, his mind trying to work out what had happened. Maybe Inuyasha had managed to kill him instead. It did smell like death…and clay. Clay! That was it. He had been interrupted by the clay priestess.

Immediately Sesshomaru rose to his feet to face the woman. She was standing a few feet away from him now, arrow notched in her bow waiting to be released, but it was no long aimed at him. Both the hate radiating from her dead eyes and her weapon were pointed towards Naraku. Inuyasha stood at her side glaring angrily at his elder brother.

"Lady Kikyo," Naraku greeted with a arrogant smirk, his detestable voice as smooth as velvet. "What an unexpected surprise."

"You know that it is not," Kikyo replied, releasing her arrow, a stream of holy light surrounding the projectile. Utsuro moved fluidly in front of his master, taking the purified directly to the face. The skin peeled back momentarily, releasing a thick cloud of miasma into the air and revealing Kagome's unconscious face. For a moment, her eyelids began to flutter open, but Utsuro's writhing flesh slithered back into place and the young miko was obscured from view once again.

"That wasn't very nice," Utsuro remarked casually, a hint of amusement in his deep voice. "That wasn't the toy I wanted you to share. I think I shall take your souls, since you can't play nice."

A distressed expression crossed the clay priestess's pale countenance and sheer panic washed over Inuyasha's face. The incarnation's jaw dropped open suddenly as if it had become unhinged from his mouth, and he began to inhale deeply. Blue spheres of light began to force their way out of the priestess's earthen body.

"No, Kikyo! You need to run away," Inuyasha exclaimed quickly, his thick brows furrowing in alarm.

"In a moment…Inuyasha… She's trapped…in a dream…" Kikyo panted, struggling to keep the souls in her body. Her soul collectors were weaving themselves around her body frantically. "She needs…a reason to…wake…to come back…and something to…purify."

"Kikyo, go! Get out of here! Now!" Inuyasha demanded. Her serpentine guardians jerked her upwards unsteadily. It was clear that they were weakening with their mistress.

"Remember Sesshomaru, something to purify," Kikyo called out as she was dragged away from the castle by her wriggling collectors. Inuyasha watched as she disappeared from view, relief etched into every line on his face.

"Foolish woman," Naraku cackled loudly, his deceptively charming face splitting into a malicious grin. "Nothing cannot be purified. My latest incarnation is as immune to the miko's holy magic as he is to everything else. Now why don't you continue what you were doing before you were so rudely interrupted? You were getting to the best part. "

Sesshomaru's mind was working quickly now. So nothing couldn't be purified. Kikyo's holy arrow hadn't proven fatal to Utsuro. So, what could be purified? Demons, evil, tainted jewel shards…the shards! Utsuro wasn't exactly nothing, he was Naraku's incarnation. He came from Naraku. Naraku was evil, so it stood to reason that Utsuro must also be evil.

The wheels in his mind continued to turn. All of this information meant something. There was something he could do with it. What was it? What was Kikyo trying to tell him?

He took a deep breath, clearing his mind. He could hear the beating of his heart pounding in his chest, Inuyasha's heart racing furiously next to his and the slow measured thumping of the wolf's heart as he lay insensible. He could smell Naraku's rancid scent heavy in the air, the putrid smell of the already decaying corpses surrounding them and the aroma of dust. The dust was everywhere, settling against his skin and thick on his tongue.

As he stood there, taking in his surroundings and gathering his thoughts, Sesshomaru became suddenly aware of exactly what it was he had to do. He pulled a single shard of the Shikon no Tama from his sleeve and threw it with all the force he could muster at Naraku. As he predicted, Utsuro moved to shield his master from Sesshomaru's projectile. As the incarnation absorbed the shard into his body, its purple light turned from pure to foul, tainted by Naraku's evil.

"Sesshomaru what are you doing?" Inuyasha exclaimed, distressed by his brother's strange actions. "I thought you wanted to save Kagome."

"Yes, Sesshomaru," Naraku interjected smugly. "I really must thank you for hand delivering your shard and giving my incarnation even more power than he already possessed."

Sesshomaru ignored both his brother and their mutual enemy. How was he going to wake Kagome up? Could she even hear him? It didn't matter, he had to try. There wasn't much of a choice, otherwise.

"Kagome, you need to wake up now. Your friends have fought for you. You must wake and fight for them now," Sesshomaru began, hoping desperately that she could hear his pleas. "They need you. Rin needs you. I need you, Kagome," he added softly. "I love you Kagome. I, Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands, am in love with you. Now wake up, and fight back!"

His heart was now hammering so violently in his chest that Sesshomaru could hear little else around him as he dug his claws deep into the fleshy part of his palm drawing small rivulets of scarlet blood to the surface. He couldn't hear the gasps from Sango or Inuyasha at his admission, or Naraku's derisive mocking. It felt like time around him had stopped as he watched and waited. Was this what Kikyo had intended for him to do? Kami, he hoped so.


	25. Utsuro Defeated At Last

**A/N: I'm really enjoying all the positive feedback on this fic! Thank you for all the kind reviews and for adding me to favorites/following my story! I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoy this new chapter!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

"Thank goodness for the weekend," Kagome mumbled to herself softly as she lay on her back in the grass underneath the overhanging branches of the ancient God Tree. Her grandfather was sure to lecture her sternly if he caught her sneaking over the fence to be close to the tree, but she didn't care at this point. She always felt more relaxed here, and after the last couple of days (or had it only been one day? Kagome wasn't sure) she had, relaxation was something she definitely needed.

She sighed contentedly as rays of warm sunlight wended their way through the leaves and dotted her milky flesh with bright patches. She wriggled her bare feet in the cool, shaded grass, enjoying the feel of it between her toes. Basking underneath the God Tree was putting the last day or days or however long she had been feeling like she was going crazy in perspective.

So she thought she lived a life that never actually existed. So she was hearing voices. So she couldn't really remember anything since waking up from that awful dream where she was trapped in nothing. She would get through it. It was obvious that she was overly stressed. She just needed to unwind a little more, like she was doing now.

She threw her arms on the ground behind her head, stretching deeply and arching her back gracefully in the process. A lazy yawn escaped her lips as she slowly sat up and slipped her shoes and socks back onto her grass-stained feet. Reluctantly, the miko rose to her feet. After all, she did have chores to do, and her mom could probably use some help making lunch for everyone.

She hopped the short wooden fence guarding the God Tree and wandered into the shrine, grabbing an old broom that was leaning against the wall. She hummed to herself as she swept the floors, absently watching particles of dust floating into the air and dancing in the streaming sunlight as she worked. She swept her small pile of debris out of the shrine and off of the creaking wooden steps of the entryway onto the wide dirt path leading to her house.

"There, now Grandpa can't nag me about sweeping the shrine," she stated to herself, feeling a little more accomplished as she placed the old broom back where she had found it. "Now to help mom with lunch."

She marched eagerly back to her house, kicking her shoes off in the door way, to help her mother prepare the midday meal. Taking care to wash her hands with hot soapy water, she gave her mother a large smile. Her mother suppressed an amused chuckle at her daughter's enthusiasm.

"What do you need help with mom?" Kagome inquired dutifully, drying her hands on a fluffy crimson towel that was hanging from the handle of their oven.

"My, you're in a good mood today," her mother replied smiling good-naturedly and handing her an assortment of vegetables. "Why don't you chop these up for me?"

Kagome set about her work, humming to herself softly again. The sharp knife clacked repeatedly against the cutting board as she chopped. She had finally accepted that this was her life. Her time spent in the Feudal Era with…oh what was his name again…inu…inu-something was nothing more than a dream. Or was it? She stopped chopping, dropping the knife in her hand onto the cutting board with a clatter and spilling some radishes onto the floor.

"Are you okay, Kagome?" her mother asked worried, startled by the sudden noise.

"I…I sense a jewel shard," she whispered so quietly her mother almost could not make out the words.

"A jewel shard? What are you talking about, dear?" her mother inquired in reply, worry etched in the lines around her eyes.

"There is a fragment of the Shikon no Tama nearby. Maybe I can forget my travels in the Feudal Era, and maybe I can forget about Inuyasha, but I will _never_ forget the sensation of the Shikon jewel," Kagome all but roared. She had been right all along. Something was wrong. This wasn't her life. This wasn't her world. And the woman standing in front of her was not her mother.

"Oh Kagome, not this again," the woman sighed in exasperation. The miko ignored her. Nothing in this made up world was important except for finding the jewel. She could feel its tingling presence, like static electricity thick in the air. This shard needed to be purified. It felt beyond tainted. It felt lik evil incarnate. But, she couldn't pinpoint its location. Its aura was so strong that it was overwhelming her abilities. Still, she had to try. Maybe if she purified the shard, it would break the spell keeping her in this false world.

Leaving her mess in the kitchen, Kagome ran out of her house, not even bothering with her shoes. She could feel the dust sticking to her socks and the occasional bite of a sharp rock, but she kept running. She had to find the shard and cleanse it of its taint.

_'It's not real, ´_ she told herself as she caught her foot on an especially painful rock. _'It doesn't matter how real it feels. It isn't real.'_

She came to a halt in front of the old well house. The evil presence seemed stronger here. The hair on her arms stood on end as she slid the crumbling door open. A shiver coursed down her spine and goose bumps ran rampant across her flesh. She found herself wanting to turn around, to run away, but she knew she couldn't. She had to purify this aura. The shard should have never been allowed to become so tainted. There was so much damage it could do.

"Where is it?" Kagome growled frustrated, still unable to pinpoint the shards location. An idea dawned on her. She had been able to sense jewel shards in her era while they had been on the other side of the well once before. Without a second thought, she threw herself into the well hoping to be consumed by the glow of purplish light. Instead, she tumbled to the bottom of the musty well unceremoniously, scraping her knees and elbows the whole way down.

"Damn it!" she snapped, picking herself up off the ground and trying to ignore the sting of her newly acquired set of scrapes and bumps. She knelt down on the ground, the presence feeling even stronger at the bottom of the well. The air was so thick with the shard's taint that she was almost afraid it would consume her before she could purify it. She began to dig frantically, her fingernails bending and tearing painfully as she clawed at the ground.

She needed to get back through. She needed to see her friends and to know she wasn't crazy. And there was something else gnawing at the back of her mind, someone else she needed to see. Someone important, someone she cared for immensely.

"Kagome, you need to wake up now," the deep baritone echoed throughout the well. Kagome felt her stomach do flips. That was him! That voice was his! Why couldn't she place it? She should know his name. She should have his face memorized, but nothing came to mind. She tore at the ground even more frenetically.

"I need you Kagome," the voice spoke tenderly and she felt her heart yearn to be near it. "I love you Kagome. I, Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands, am in love with you."

She froze. Sesshomaru was in love with her? She could remember him now, clear as day. How she ever forgot him in the first place was a mystery. She had remembered him for a second during her dream that she now realized wasn't a dream, but then she had forgotten again. How was it possible to forget someone like the inuyoukai? It didn't really matter at this point. She needed to wake up. She needed to go to him, to wrap her arms around him and tell him that she loved him as well.

Slowly, a pair of chocolate eyes opened and beheld nothing but darkness. Kagome now knew that she really was trapped in a void of nothing, but she was no longer all that was in the void. Her body began to pulse, surrounded by writhing pink holy light. The shard, she needed to purify the shard.

She closed her eyes and reached her glowing hand outwards, searching the darkness until she felt her fingers close around it tightly. It took everything in her not to recoil and withdraw her hand. She could feel the taint of the throbbing fragment, threatening to overwhelm her, but she fought it. She focused all her energy on the shard, the swirling light surrounding her body now flowing towards the shard to bathe it in purity. Its black coloring began to fade, lightening into various shades of purple before stopping at the light pinkish purple of a completely uncorrupted jewel shard.

As the shard became pure, the darkness around Kagome seemed to fade away in a blinding flash of holy radiance. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, and for a moment, her expressive dark eyes met Sesshomaru's impassive amber gaze. Then, without a word, she collapsed in a heap on the wooden deck of the castle's main structure.

x.X.x

Sesshomaru held his breath as he waited for something to happen. So far Naraku and Utsuro just stood there, the same cruel smile playing on their lips as they waited for him to realize he had failed. But then, just as Sesshomaru began to worry that he had misunderstood Kikyo's instructions, Utsuro's smile started to fade, and an expression like he had eaten rancid meat and was becoming ill overtook his features. A brilliant blaze of soft pink light filled the air, and when it cleared, there was no sign of Utsuro. Kagome was standing completely still, her large eyes locked with Sesshomaru's for a second that seemed like an eternity before she crumpled from exhaustion.

In the blink of an eye, the Demon Lord was at her side, cradling her head in his lap gently as he pushed wayward strands of raven hair out of her lovely face. A light sheen of sweat covered her wan forehead, but he kissed it anyway. He was so relieved that she was alive. He could hear her breathing and the steady beat of her heart. Yes, she was definitely alive.

"Where's Naraku?" Inuyasha exclaimed in distress at the hanyou's disappearance. "Did she…Did she purify him as well?"

"No," Sesshomaru replied simply, nodding almost imperceptibly to a feather receding into the cloudless azure sky. The slight expression of hope on the hanyou's face changed into disappointed. "He escaped."

"Damn him!" Inuyasha growled, sheathing his Tetsusaiga in frustration. "How could we let him get away again?"

"It does not matter, Kagome is safe," Sesshomaru answered, running his fingers lovingly down her smooth cheek.

"Yeah, about that," Inuyasha started. "How did you let her go and get herself captured in the first place? _AND_...WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING GIVING NARAKU ANOTHER FRAGMENT OF THE JEWEL? You could have gotten us all killed! Just because you all of a sudden start falling in love with humans does not mean that you start giving away the ONLY thing that will make him even more powerful. OH, and thanks a bunch for actually trying to kill me back there. I should've known that you would try to trick me like that. That was really your plan all along, huh?"

"Inuyasha," Kagome mumbled, not bothering to open her eyes. "Shut up."

Inuyasha's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets at Kagome's audacity. How dare she speak to him so ungratefully. "I just spent Kami knows how long fighting to save your life, and you tell me to shut up?"

"Fine, have it your way," Kagome replied with an exasperated sigh. She was too exhausted for the hanyou's insolence. "Sit boy."

The enchanted rosary beads around the hanyou's neck suddenly dragged him face first into the ground. A cloud of dust rose from ground stirred up by Inuyasha's violent meeting with the dirt. He grumbled to himself discontentedly as he stood back up, folding his arms over his chest indignantly.

"How are you feeling?" Sesshomaru uttered tenderly, running his fingers through soft raven strands.

"I love you too, you know," Kagome answered, a small smile playing in the corners of her oh so tempting lips. Sesshomaru could not resist the urge to plant a series of soft, sensual kisses upon them. Inuyasha turned his back on the unwelcome sight, trying to suppress a jealous growl. He had planned on taking Kagome back after this was over, after all, she had never fallen into Naraku's clutches on his watch, but he had a feeling that wasn't how things were going to play out. Plus, he was entirely too exhausted for an argument, and all he really wanted to do was make sure Kikyo had survived Utsuro's draining assault.

"Oi, Sango, you and Kirara get Miroku back to Kaede. He needs an antidote immediately. I'll be right behind you," the hanyou called dismissing the slayer. He turned his attention towards the wolf to see Koga's slumped form being dragged away by his two loyal, but cowardly followers, Hakkaku and Ginta. Inuyasha snorted. The idiot would be fine in their care. He turned back to his elder brother and Kagome, hoping their affectionate display had come to an end. "Well, I guess I'll see you around," he mumbled his face bright red and amber eyes cast downward when he noticed their kiss had only deepened. Without another word, he leapt away, running after Sango as fast as his battered body would allow.

Finally Kagome broke for air, her dark eyes heavy-lidded and glazed over with desire, but her dreamy stupor was soon cut short as icy panic flowed through her. "Sesshomaru, we must get back to Rin. We need to make sure she's all right!"

The alarm in her voice spooked the usually stoic Demon Lord. "Did something happen to her? Was she attacked by Utsuro as well?"

"No, she and Ah-Un went fishing for a meal while Jaken," her eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip trembled as she spoke his name. "Jake and I went to forage. And then Utsuro came…and…and…Jaken was killed protecting me," wailed Kagome who sat up to sob uncontrollably into her knees. While she had no love for the toad during their time together, she was disconsolate at his loss. Rin would be devastated, and she imagined even the detached inuyoukai would feel the sting of his passing.

Sesshomaru placed a comforting hand on her back. He was relieved that his ward had not been present during the attack, but Jaken's loss was unfortunate. As grating as he could be, Jaken was always loyal. The Demon Lord knew there was no bringing the imp back with his Tensaiga, as he had already used the ability on the toad once before.

"Shh," he hushed her softly, rubbing small circles on her back with his singular hand. "He died valiantly in the service of his master. That's how he would have wanted it," the inuyoukai murmured soothingly. "Come now. Let's go find Rin."

Gracefully, Sesshomaru rose from his seated position on his calves to his feet, drawing Kagome to his chest and pulling her against him tightly. He was so grateful to be able to hold her in his arm once again. His demonic cloud formed solid underneath their feet, and they rose into the air back towards clearing where they had made camp what now seemed like years ago.


	26. Rin's Grief and Kagome's Indignation

**A/N: Again I'd like to give a HUGE thank you to my readers and reviewers! You are all so good to me! I shall reward you with…drum roll please…another chapter! :D**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

Sesshomaru and Kagome glided through the air gracefully on the youkai's cloud, the miko still pressed protectively into the Demon Lord's chest. There were no words for how relieved the pair felt at this moment in time, so they enjoyed the dewy evening air in silence as they searched for Rin and Ah-Un. The distinctively salty scent of sweat and dust covered the inuyoukai, but Kagome kept her face buried in his soiled kimono. While the dusty odor was a touch unpleasant, there was something pleasant about the brackish smell. Anyway, she was probably drenched in Naraku's scent, and Sesshomaru hadn't cast her aside.

She smiled into his chest and inhaled again, reveling in the fact that Sesshomaru could do something so human as sweat. Kagome yawned and moved to rub her tired eyes before realizing that her hand was still squeezed into a tight fist clutching the purified fragment protectively. Slowly she uncurled her now stiff fingers. Leaning away from the inuyoukai, Kagome peered up at him with a lazy smile.

"I think this belongs to you," she remarked holding the shard in front of her face between her thumb and her index finger. "For someone who wants nothing to do with the shards, they sure have turned out to be pretty handy."

Wordlessly, the Youkai Lord plucked the glistening shard from her delicate fingers and returned it to its rightful place tucked away in the hem of his sleeve. Kagome returned her head to its resting place against his chest and sighed softly. Now was not the time for small talk. Sesshomaru was worried for Rin, and, no matter how relieved she felt at being rescued, Kagome knew that she ought to be worried as well. Instead, she had this overwhelming feeling that all was right in the world, and Rin was with Ah-Un, safe and sound, if not just a little distressed.

As if to prove this, soft sniffles could be heard from the darkened encampment where Rin had been left as they landed silently in the grass. Ah-Un immediately perked up his head, his yellowed, serpentine eyes gazing into Sesshomaru's almost expectantly. Noticing the dragon's movement, Rin also looked up, a gap-toothed grin instantly spreading across her tear-stained face.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Lady Kagome!" the girl exclaimed her worries instantly dissolving as she ran to her guardians. Kagome quickly scooped her up and hugged her, the young girl's feet dangling above the ground as she twirled her around.

"I'm so sorry Rin," Kagome apologized setting the girl down and kneeling so their heights matched. "Naraku decided he wanted to kidnap me," she continued, wrinkling her nose and sticking her tongue out playfully at the mention of the despicable hanyou's name, "but Sesshomaru rescued me and brought me back here to take care of you."

The young girl stared at her with wide, frightened eyes before asking, "What about Master Jaken? Did Naraku kidnap him too?"

"Oh Rin," Kagome sighed sorrow reflected in her dark eyes as she hugged the girl to her tightly. How was she ever going to be able to tell the young girl that her exasperating playmate was gone forever?

"Is he okay? Can we rescue him too? I know Lord Sesshomaru is strong enough," the girl continued, leaning back to look at Kagome, her brows knit with worry.

"He's dead, Rin," Sesshomaru replied succinctly. Kagome looked up from where she was kneeling to shoot the inuyoukai a harsh glare, frustrated with his obvious lack of tact. This little girl, who had already lost so much, deserved more than that brutal explanation.

"Oh," was all Rin could manage. She pulled away from Kagome's embrace, her eyes downcast, hidden beneath unruly bangs, as silent tears streamed down her face.

_'Nice going, Sesshomaru,'_ Kagome thought to herself sarcastically as she watched the young girl mourn the loss of her friend. The miko knew that the Demon Lord probably didn't want to beat around the bush, but all little girls deserved to be sheltered from reality for a little while. And Rin's reality had been so hard already, so why couldn't he go just a little easier on her?

"He was very brave, Rin," Kagome started soothingly. She rose, and placed a kind hind on the girl's shoulder. "He was trying to save me, but Naraku's incarnation was too strong. Tomorrow we can go pick him some flowers and say our goodbyes, okay?"

The young girl just nodded, sobbing soundlessly, her small hands curled into fists. Kagome was crushed by the girl's sadness. She wished there was something she could do to make Rin feel a little better. Trying to think of anything to get the girl's mind off of her loss, Kagome moved to her yellow bag and began rummaging through it for anything that could work as a distraction.

While the miko was occupied, Sesshomaru moved to Rin and placed his hand upon head affectionately. She stared up at him through watery eyes, and he stared back, his icy expression unchanging. He found himself surprised by her expression. She was looking at him as though he could say something to take away her grief, but nothing came to mind.

"Rin, go to bed," he ordered instead. Kagome turned and glared at him a second time for his apparent insensitivity, but it was obvious to Sesshomaru that the girl needed rest. Rin nodded and curled up next to Ah-Un crying for awhile until she fell into a restless sleep.

Once Kagome was certain that Rin was sleeping, she turned to Sesshomaru, hands akimbo. He could tell that she was angry with him, but the inuyoukai did not feel as though she had a reason. Still, he raised one silver eyebrow at her as if to say, 'speak'.

"I can't believe you would be so callous," Kagome hissed quietly, so she would not wake Rin.

"Oh?" he replied softly, vexed at being chastised by someone he just rescued, quite painstakingly for that matter.

"She's what, ten?" Kagome inquired in an exasperated whisper. "Why do you have to be so hard on her? She doesn't need to face the harshness of reality so…harshly! She doesn't need to hear, **_he's dead, now go to bed_**," Kagome continued doing her very best Sesshomaru impression. "Give her a break, and let her be a kid."

"Reality is harsh. I do not coddle her, because she needs to learn," Sesshomaru remarked, his amber eyes narrowed at the miko.

"I was very young like her when my father died," Kagome started, her expressive eyes flickered with a hint of sadness. "My mom didn't just walk up to me and tell me that my dad was dead and to go bed. She told me this beautiful story about how he went to live with angels, and that he would be watching over us from now on…"

"So, I should tell her fairytales?" the inuyoukai interrupted with a derisive snort.

"That isn't what I said, and don't interrupt me!" she snapped angrily. Sesshomaru was taken aback by her acerbic tone. "My mother gave me a reason to feel okay even through great sadness. She told me it was okay to feel sad. I know that Rin already knows what death is, and what it entails, but sometimes children need things expressed to them in less adult ways. She is still very young, and she can't handle adversity the way adults can. And, to be fair, death is something that even adults struggle with."

"Yes, but it is important for her to learn the ways of the world so she is prepared when she becomes an adult," Sesshomaru insisted. It was how he was taught by his mother, and it was how he planned to teach any future offspring.

"Do you think that I haven't learned about grief and loss and heartbreak and every other hardship imaginable, because I was sheltered as a child?" Kagome rebutted, invalidating his argument effectively. "I'll admit that there are many ways in which I am still naïve," the young woman blushed a light pink color at her own admission of inexperience, "however, I am not stupid or inept. Sometimes I may not make the best choices, but I am smart and capable and resilient. I still love with my whole heart, although it has been broken. I still try to live my life to the fullest, even though I know it will one day end. I still put my faith in people, even though they have disappointed me before. So I make mistakes; I learn from them. I grew to be this well-adjusted, not because someone taught me the hard lessons, but because someone loved me enough to help me through them."

Sesshomaru was rendered speechless by this woman who now seemed to be bathed in an aura of dignity as she stood there, hands balled into indignant fists upon her hips, fierce scowl upon her proud features. She had the air of warrior about her as she stood, and Kami was she beautiful. His overwhelming love for this woman, which had never quite made sense to him, was now as clear as day. She had the fiery spirit to melt his icy demeanor, and his cool composure could temper her flames of passion. She was a half of his whole, the proverbial yin to his yang. They would keep each other balanced for as long as she would have him.

As she stood there, staring him down with furrowed brows, he moved toward her with unparalleled grace and slipped his hand around her waist. She froze for a moment, her expression turning slack and then surprised as all the love that welled up inside of him poured out of his amber gaze. Without realizing she was doing it, Kagome pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth and ran her tongue over it, wetting it before letting it resume its normal position. This was all the invitation Sesshomaru needed.

His mouth was upon hers hungrily, the heat of his mouth burning the swollen flesh of Kagome's lips. She kissed him back slowly at first, before mirroring his eager pace. Her lips parted and tongues twined as he pulled her body into his, enjoying the feel of her supple breasts pressed firmly against his chest. Oh, how he wanted her, more than he had ever wanted anything. He snaked his arm around behind her head, weaving his fingers into her silken tresses and turned his attention to the delicate skin of her creamy neck. She moaned softly, goose bumps rising across her flesh as the inuyoukai continued his erotic assault, nipping and suckling softly as he left a trail of kisses from her jaw to her collarbone.

"You may not stay naïve much longer," he muttered gutturally, his intense desire for the miko apparent.

The statement brought Kagome out of her heady stupor and back into reality as a scarlet blush made its way across her cheeks. Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest at the idea as she felt a warm pressure spread from deep within her abdomen to her nether regions. It wasn't an altogether unpleasant idea, but she wasn't certain she was ready.

At almost nineteen, she still felt like a child in many ways, and she was sure Sesshomaru was probably already more than experienced. She would just be a nervous wreck with no idea what she was even doing. He would probably just end up severely disappointed with her lack of skills. The thought made her slightly nauseous. Oh, but the idea of being intimate with the Demon Lord was still exciting, and the way he wanted her made it even more so.

"There is no need to be embarrassed," Sesshomaru stated softly, as he ran a clawed hand across her crimson cheek. "It is a natural desire."

She looked down at feet, feeling incredibly small and awkward, and started to fidget with the hem of shirt in discomfit. Sesshomaru could sense her nervous hesitance and almost laughed aloud. She was naïve, indeed.

"I did not mean tonight," he remarked giving her a rare half-smile. "When you are ready, we will revisit this desire. Away from excess company," he added nodding towards Rin and Ah-Un. She peered up at him sheepishly, knots still tight in her stomach and gave him an uncertain smile. He traced her cheekbone with his thumb before planting a chaste kiss on her lips and moving to retire for the evening.

As he sat in the warm clearing underneath the velvety black sky, Kagome plopped down next to him inelegantly without a word, a soft blanket draped around her shoulders. She leaned her head against his shoulder as they listened to the familiar sounds of the woods at night. A cool breeze wafted through the defoliated tract of forest causing the miko to shiver slightly and pull her blanket around her more tightly. The Demon Lord wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into his warm body. She stifled a yawn, and the inuyoukai knew it was time to recline in the grass.

As they lay back underneath the stars, Sesshomaru buried his face in Kagome's raven locks. She still reeked of Naraku, but the flowery scent of her hair was there underneath the stench. He watched the rise as fall of her chest as her breathing slowed with weariness, but before she drifted off to sleep, she turned her head to look at him through heavy-lidded eyes.

"I haven't said it yet, and I don't want to forget," she mumbled lethargically as she closed her chocolaty eyes, "so, thank you for rescuing me from Naraku."

Sesshomaru smiled to himself and kissed her forehead as she finally drifted off. She had been through quite an ordeal and purifying Naraku's incarnation had taken its toll on her. It was amazing that she had managed to stay awake for this long. He breathed her scent in deeply again, picking it out from the unpleasant aroma that threatened to mask it. He was so glad to have her back at his side. He really had missed her.


	27. Rin's Bittersweet Goodbye

**A/N: I am so sorry for leaving you guys hanging for so long! My work shift got changed, and then I've had to work A LOT of over time. But, enough with the excuses. I'm back on my normal shift now, so I should be pumping out chapters fairly regularly once again. Fluffy chapter! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi._

* * *

"Oh, Sesshomaru, I just feel so guilty," Kagome sighed glumly as she watched Rin scour the flowery meadow near their encampment for the most perfect blossoms. "If I had just been strong enough to tough it out with Inuyasha until Naraku was gone, none of this would have happened, and Rin wouldn't be so miserable right now."

"Leaving took more strength than staying," the Demon Lord replied ignoring the sting of her thoughtless comment. He realized that she was hurting for Rin's sake and placed a loving hand on her shoulder instead of becoming cross. It was endearing to see her so heartbroken over his young ward's grief.

"I guess you're right," she said leaning her head back into his chest and smiling contentedly. "Anyway, there isn't much that would convince me to give you up. But I still can't help feeling that I'm partially to blame."

"You did not invite Naraku to kidnap you," remarked the inuyoukai tersely, his amber eyes narrowing at the thought. Kagome turned around and encircled Sesshomaru's waist with her arms, her hands absently massaging the lean muscles along his spine as she pressed herself against his firm chest. His mind went hazy, and his eyelids grew heavy as her fingers worked deftly over knots that he was sure had been present for years now. The youkai growled gently in pleasure eliciting a soft giggle from the young woman who, much to his dismay, had ended her relaxing ministrations.

Coming out of his daze, he turned his attention back to the grieving child who being entirely too thorough in her search for the right flowers for the deceased imp's grave. He watched as her bare feet padded nimbly through the long grass as she examined blossom and after blossom, sometimes picking them and throwing others away. Wordlessly, Sesshomaru pried himself out of Kagome's grasp and moved sinuously to the young girl's side.

"None of them are good enough," she sniffled, throwing her bouquet upon the ground in frustration. Sesshomaru reached his arm out and pulled the girl to his side in an embrace. Rin froze, only moving to stare up at the inuyoukai in wide-eyed astonishment. He had never shown her so much affection so openly.

"Jaken will appreciate whatever you flowers you collect for him," Sesshomaru asserted, bending to retrieve the white flowers she had thrown into the overgrown grass. His silver hair moved so fluidly as he bent that it reminded Kagome of quicksilver. She watched as he handed the bundle of flowers back to the girl, her guilt-ridden heart swelling with joy at his tenderness toward Rin.

"Do you really think so?" Rin asked, rubbing her puffy eyes with one small and grass-stained hand.

"I do," Sesshomaru maintained with an almost imperceptible nod. His ward's light brown eyes moved to the bouquet in her hand and gave a poignant sigh.

"I guess that I'm ready to say goodbye now, Lord Sesshomaru," Rin whispered, her eyes becoming sad and laden with tears as she spoke the words. The inuyoukai grabbed the girl's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before leading her to Kagome.

The miko was floored by Sesshomaru's tender actions. Although he had been cold the night before, he was now doing his very best to help her feel better. Kagome smiled to herself, wondering if her words had gotten through to him, or if he would've been so tender toward the girl without prodding.

x.X.x

After they had all said their piece over Jaken's final resting place (even the laconic Sesshomaru), and Rin had left her flowers for him, Sesshomaru had insisted that they find a new place to make camp. And so the four of them set off deeper into the forest, walking for hours until finally Sesshomaru had decided it was time to stop, a welcome relief to Kagome's aching legs.

He had settled on a tiny clearing within a copse of trees so thick that the overhanging branches hid the sky from view. Kagome surmised that he had chosen the spot carefully, so they would be better hidden from any unwanted visitors, but it was a wonder that Ah-Uh was able to pick his way through the tightly packed clusters of trees. It was definitely not a spot Kagome would want to stay at for long.

Now they sat around a small fire, Rin propped against Ah-Un's side snoring softly. The poor girl was both physically and emotionally exhausted. Kagome's expression fell a little as thought about Rin's grief. She prodded the fire with a brittle stick causing a few bright sparks to leap into the air as she tried to come to grips with her guilt.

"There is a hot spring nearby if you would like to bathe," Sesshomaru offered, the reflection of flickering flames dancing in his amber eyes. The sudden noise startled Kagome, drawing her from her thoughts.

"Oh, that would be amazing," she breathed excitedly. Not only was she still covered in Naraku's scent, but, after the day's hike, she was now coated in sweat and dirt. She was positive her odor was starting to become offensive, and her hair had not felt so disgusting in a very long time. "Which way is it?" she inquired rising to gather her overstuffed backpack.

"I will show you," replied the inuyoukai also rising. He tossed a few handfuls of moist dirt onto the fire until it was smothered and cast a knowing glance Ah-Un's way before grasping a now sightless Kagome's hand tightly in his own.

The hot spring was only a few minutes' walk away from their current encampment, but far enough away that Kagome's eyes had adjusted to the surrounding darkness as they arrived. She could see the steam rising from the warm water, and her aching body longed for a good soak. In a hurry, to bathe, she dropped her bag on the ground and began to rummage for all her bathing amenities.

"I've got it from her, thanks," Kagome murmured dismissively, not bothering to look up at the Demon Lord who was towering her over silently. Sesshomaru pursed his lips slightly and arched one perfect brow as he watched her.

"I will not be leaving you unattended," came his annoyed reply as the woman started tugging at the shoes on her feet. Who was she to think that she could dismiss him so easily?

"Well you're not watching me bathe," she retorted flippantly, wishing that the inuyoukai before her would hurry back to camp so she could undress.

"That is not my intention," he answered indifferently, his countenance expressionless. "I merely wish to prevent a repetition of recent events."

"Well I'm not getting undressed until you go back to camp," she remarked folding her arms across her chest, a note vexation clear in her girlish voice.

"I only intend to keep watch. I do not understand your reluctance to bathe in my presence. I have already seen you divested of clothing," he rejoined logically, his mind wandering at the memory. He could easily picture her perfectly toned body, curves in all the right places, dripping wet and glistening. He closed his eyes a moment remembering the flawless shape of her naked breasts and the damp curls that graced the virgin mound between her legs. Suddenly he felt himself aching to touch her.

"Well that's not something I'm ready to make a habit of right now," she snapped impatiently, interrupting Sesshomaru's concupiscent fantasy. She could feel a scarlet blush making its way across her cheeks, but she fought to ignore it.

"Be that as it may, until Naraku is defeated, I will not be leaving you unattended. It is your choice whether you bathe or not," he asserted coolly, trying to keep his aggravation out of his tone. He couldn't understand why it mattered. He had already seen all she had to offer. It wasn't as though he was requesting to join her, though the thought was not an unpleasant one. All he desired was her safety.

"Fine," she assented reluctantly through gritted teeth. "But you have to turn around. At least until I'm in the water," she added, noting his sour expression at the thought of his eyes leaving their post for a moment.

He did as she asked trying to keep the pervasive thoughts of her naked form from overtaking his mind as his sensitive ears heard the small splash of her sliding into the steamy water. He could feel himself stiffening in the most erogenous of places in spite of the almost incoherent grumblings about lack of privacy coming from the bathing miko's direction. The inuyoukai took a deep breath and cleared his mind of unseemly thoughts. It would not do for him to be distracted by impure thoughts while he was supposed to be focused on preventing another incident with Naraku.

Kagome sunk low in the water as she mumbled to herself angrily. How dare that arrogant youkai assume that just because he had accidentally caught a glimpse of her without her clothes once, that he was welcome to view her nudity if he so pleased. She scrubbed at her filthy hair furiously as she fumed. They didn't even have an established relationship yet. So what if they kissed a few times? What kind of girl did he think she was?

'_Well…I guess we did say those three words,_' she considered thoughtfully as she reached for her conditioner and pouring a dollop into her open palm. '_But still...It's not like I can call him my boyfriend. We don't go on dates. In this era, there really isn't such a thing as dating like there is in my era. Formal marriages in the Feudal Era are arranged, and that's between humans. I don't really know anything about youkai courtship._'

Kagome sighed as she ran her fingers through her slick hair, removing all the snags and tangles from her thick mane. She was letting her mind run off with her again. What did it matter? She was happy, and she was sure he was happy. He hadn't forced himself on her or asked anything of her that made her uncomfortable. Well, except for this whole hanging around while she bathed thing. Nothing really mattered in that aspect until Naraku was gone and the Shikon no Tama was whole again. That was her priority, not some indefinable relationship with an incredibly handsome Youkai Lord. She peered up at him surreptitiously from over her shoulder, but his eyes were focused on the tree line away from her.

She felt relieved but disappointed all at once. She probably would have been incredibly mortified if his eyes had been upon her. But, it would have been incredibly flattering if he had been trying to sneak a peek at her while she bathed. She took a deep breath before rinsing her hair in the warm water, thinking to herself that her strange combination of curious and naïve was incredibly frustrating.

She almost wished that she could throw herself at him, not feel ashamed as hungry eyes studied her nude form with anticipation. Kissing him was so sensual and exciting. She couldn't even imagine how exhilarating it would be to move beyond that. The longing ache within her belly stirred as she felt a needy heat between her legs. Ignoring the feeling, Kagome scrubbed away at the layers of grime on her skin, suddenly in a hurry to finish bathing.

Sesshomaru, sensing a spike in the woman's pheromones, turned his gaze to the bathing woman whose back was turned toward him and inhaled deeply. She was aroused. He felt himself stiffen beneath his hakama again as if his body was trying to answer her need. He was confident her thoughts were on him, but he could not help but wonder where her mind had turned to elicit such thoughts. There wasn't much he wouldn't give to know the details of such intimate ponderings. His skin felt as though it were on fire at the idea of watching her fantasies as they played out in her mind's eye.

He had been with women before, sure, but none were Kagome. He had never met a woman as pure and innocent as the miko. He would take his time with her, be gentle and loving. He would show her how tender he could be, and he would savor every moment. He closed his eyes as his mind wandered, and he let it go this time, imagining her pleasured hisses and moans.

"Uhm, I'm going to get out now," a very discomfited Kagome squeaked from the water. Wordlessly, the inuyoukai turned in a flutter of white silk, so the miko would feel more comfortable as she climbed out of the warm water. The flowery scent of her soaps were wafting through the air, putting the Demon Lord's already hazy mind into an even deeper fog. He waited a long while, his mind still wandering, until he felt the woman lace her dainty fingers with his.

Hand in hand, the pair wended their way through the thickets of trees that stood between them and their campsite. They took their time, savoring the privacy of this time spent together in the surrounding blackness. Neither Sesshomaru nor Kagome knew what challenges tomorrow would bring, but together they were prepared to face anything. As they reached their small clearing in the forest, the pair knew that all they could really be certain of was that one day, very soon, they would be face to face with Naraku once again. Their troubles were far from over.


End file.
